How to Prevent Bed Wetting
Realize that bedwetting is normal., Reduce stress in your child's life., Help your child build urinary control., Avoid waking up your child at night., Make the environment a comfortable one., Think about using a reward system.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Realize that bedwetting is normal.
Although it may be inconvenient for you and embarrassing for your child, bedwetting is normal behavior in children.
You can rest easy knowing that in many cases bedwetting will come to an end as your child grows older.
Until then you can patiently and calmly work with with your child until she has outgrown the ages most commonly associated with bedwetting.Bedwetting is common in children of up to around five years of age.
Nearly 10 percent of children in this age group will wet the bed.
Never punish your child for wetting the bed.
Make it clear you are there to help her.
Although bedwetting is common in children you may still want to have your doctor check for any medical issues that might be causing it. -
Step 2: Reduce stress in your child's life.
One common cause of bedwetting in children is stress.
Stress can be caused by many different things in your child's life and reducing that stress will lower the chances of him wetting the bed.
Work with your child to reassure him about any stressful issues to help him stop his bedwetting.Moving to a new home can be stressful on a child.
Making him feel comfortable in his new surroundings can help reduce that stress.
Bullies at schools are a serious source of stress in a child's life.
Work with your child and school staff to stop the bullying if this is an issue. , Whether it's due to weak muscles or undeveloped habits, your child can benefit from practicing control over when she urinates.
This can help reinforce the idea that there are times when it is appropriate to urinate as well as help strengthen her ability to hold urine throughout the night.Ask your child to try holding her urine for a few minutes after she feels the urge to use the restroom.
Don't extend this period of waiting beyond 10 minutes. , Although it may seem helpful, waking your child up during the night to remind him to urinate can actually hurt your efforts.
This can send the wrong messages and may prevent your child from listening to the natural cues that his body is giving him.
Let your child sleep normally, helping him only if he has a bedwetting accident., Your child may be trying to use the toilet at night but might feel uncomfortable doing so.
This might be due to her finding either her bedroom too far away from the bathroom to feel safe or maybe the bathroom is too dark at night.
Talk with your child to learn if she might be nervous about the bathroom to help prevent bedwetting issues., Children will generally respond well to rewards that are given when they demonstrate certain behaviors.
The same idea can work with bedwetting troubles.
Think about giving your child a reward for nights that he doesn't wet the bed in order to build positive associations with dry nights.Putting a gold sticker on the calendar for every night without bedwetting can be a good idea for a reward.
Once the child has a certain number of stickers, reward him with a small toy or fun activity. -
Step 3: Help your child build urinary control.
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Step 4: Avoid waking up your child at night.
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Step 5: Make the environment a comfortable one.
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Step 6: Think about using a reward system.
Detailed Guide
Although it may be inconvenient for you and embarrassing for your child, bedwetting is normal behavior in children.
You can rest easy knowing that in many cases bedwetting will come to an end as your child grows older.
Until then you can patiently and calmly work with with your child until she has outgrown the ages most commonly associated with bedwetting.Bedwetting is common in children of up to around five years of age.
Nearly 10 percent of children in this age group will wet the bed.
Never punish your child for wetting the bed.
Make it clear you are there to help her.
Although bedwetting is common in children you may still want to have your doctor check for any medical issues that might be causing it.
One common cause of bedwetting in children is stress.
Stress can be caused by many different things in your child's life and reducing that stress will lower the chances of him wetting the bed.
Work with your child to reassure him about any stressful issues to help him stop his bedwetting.Moving to a new home can be stressful on a child.
Making him feel comfortable in his new surroundings can help reduce that stress.
Bullies at schools are a serious source of stress in a child's life.
Work with your child and school staff to stop the bullying if this is an issue. , Whether it's due to weak muscles or undeveloped habits, your child can benefit from practicing control over when she urinates.
This can help reinforce the idea that there are times when it is appropriate to urinate as well as help strengthen her ability to hold urine throughout the night.Ask your child to try holding her urine for a few minutes after she feels the urge to use the restroom.
Don't extend this period of waiting beyond 10 minutes. , Although it may seem helpful, waking your child up during the night to remind him to urinate can actually hurt your efforts.
This can send the wrong messages and may prevent your child from listening to the natural cues that his body is giving him.
Let your child sleep normally, helping him only if he has a bedwetting accident., Your child may be trying to use the toilet at night but might feel uncomfortable doing so.
This might be due to her finding either her bedroom too far away from the bathroom to feel safe or maybe the bathroom is too dark at night.
Talk with your child to learn if she might be nervous about the bathroom to help prevent bedwetting issues., Children will generally respond well to rewards that are given when they demonstrate certain behaviors.
The same idea can work with bedwetting troubles.
Think about giving your child a reward for nights that he doesn't wet the bed in order to build positive associations with dry nights.Putting a gold sticker on the calendar for every night without bedwetting can be a good idea for a reward.
Once the child has a certain number of stickers, reward him with a small toy or fun activity.
About the Author
Debra Morris
A seasoned expert in education and learning, Debra Morris combines 4 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Debra's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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