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A Girl's Guide to Bedwetting
Understanding Bedwetting from a Girl's Perspective
By Kelly Burgess
Dr. Friman acknowledges that navigating these social situations can be tricky for a girl who wets the bed, but he notes that the girl's parent can get involved to communicate with the parents of the child holding the sleepover that there may be an accident. If this is done very discreetly, no one needs to be the wiser. However, he also points out that children often don't wet the bed at all when they're in a different house. The combination of excitement, the party atmosphere and, possibly, nerves keep them from the deep sleep that's often connected with bedwetting.
One more point that Dr. Friman likes to make to parents is that it's not their job to have a fear of sleepovers. "The avoidance of sleepovers because of a fear of bedwetting may not necessarily come from the child at first, but from the parent," Dr. Friman says. "A child might not know that it's a big deal but the parents do. You have to be careful of how you pass that along to the child without making them feel that there's something wrong with them."
One issue girls may face that boys don't is the problem of acquiring a UTI, or urinary tract infection.
Dr. Lyle Danuloff, consultant for the Enuresis Treatment Center in Michigan, says UTIs are common in girls who wet the bed due to deep sleep because the wetness doesn't wake them up and they lie in their urine all night. "I recommend that a parent get up in the night and check the bed if possible," Dr. Danuloff says. "If the girl is wet, changing her sheets and putting her into dry clothes will help to head off a possible UTI."
Want to see more?
- Check out our Article Library.
- Of Bladders and Bedwetting: A Simple Explanation of the Urinary System
- The ABCs of UTIs: Identifying and Treating Urinary Tract Infections
- Put Relaxation Back into Bedtime: The Benefits of a Stress-free Routine on Your Bedwetting Child
- Successful Sleepovers: Tips to Help Bedwetters Enjoy Their Slumber Parties
- Talk about it!
