quick clicks

preschoolers today articles

preschoolers today q&a

children today articles

children today q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Parents of Bedwetters Unite

Finding Support and Advice Both Online and Off

By Beth Skarupa

Frustration. That one word sums up most parents' response to their child's bedwetting problem. Cleaning soiled sheets again and again can be frustrating. Figuring out the best way to deal with the problem can be frustrating. Just having to wait until their child's bladder matures can be frustrating. Not being able to share their experiences with other parents can be frustrating. But sometimes just talking to someone or getting advice from those experiencing the same problem can help.

So how do you go about finding someone to talk with, and who do you talk to, especially when your child's privacy is at stake?

The first person you should be talking with about your child's bedwetting is your pediatrician. But despite the fact that bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is a common problem, some parents are too embarrassed to talk to their doctor about it.

"This is a very individualized problem that not many people, especially those affected, want to talk about privately with their physician, much less in a large group," says Dr. Timothy Stewart, a pediatrician in Huntsville, Ala.

But turning to your pediatrician for support is important because he can offer help and suggestions about what treatment options are available. "Most children will outgrow this, but for those who continue wetting the bed past age 5, there is medical treatment that is safe and effective," says Dr. Stewart. "No child should miss out on normal activities like spend-the-night parties and campouts because of this problem."

If your doctor dismisses your child's bedwetting problem as "not a big deal" when you think it is, consider finding another doctor. You need to be an advocate for your child. Although the majority of children suffer no long-term consequences from bedwetting, it is potentially devastating to the emotional well-being of an older child or adolescent.

Want to see more?

• Communicating About Bedwetting: How to Talk With Your Child
• Of Bladders and Bedwetting: A Simple Explanation of the Urinary System
• Bringing Up Bedwetting: Talking to Your Doctor About Enuresis
• Wet But Dry: How Absorbent Underwear May Help Your Bedwetting Child
• Beat the Bedwetting Blues: 3 Steps to Providing a Positive Atmosphere for Children Who Wet the Bed
• Talk about it!