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Expert Q&A
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| By Elbert Q. Blakely, Ph.D., C.B.A. Psychologist | ||
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My 6-year-old daughter still wets her bed every night. She doesn't drink after supper and goes to the bathroom before going to bed. Even when I take her to the bathroom at 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., she wakes up wet. Is this "normal" bedwetting that she'll outgrow?
At age 6, we do see kids struggling with nightly incontinence. Obviously, this puts a tremendous strain on the child and the parents. First, it is important to rule out any physiological problems with a visit to the pediatrician and a physical. This may be a developmental process that she will grow out of. Talk with your physician to make sure.
I recommend the following:
- Take a positive approach. Support her. Addressing the problem negatively or excessively is detrimental. She is already under enough stress. If your daughter could control her bladder at night, she would. It may be embarrassing for her, and she needs nurturing and reassurance that she is a great little girl.
- Explore ways that she might begin to control her bladder on her own. She may be able to hop out of bed quickly to go to the bathroom.
- Implement a reward system for the nights that she remains dry. This positive encouragement will be the most effective.
- Consult a mental health professional if there are other significant conflicts or problems in the family that could cause increased stress.
My hunch is that she will grow out of it. It is important that the family treat the problem calmly. Deal with the wet bedding and clothes quickly and move on with the rest of the day. Some "bell and pad" methods alert children to the first sign of wetness with an alarm so that they can get to the toilet in time. These systems can be successful. Again, I would wait a while to see if she grows out of it. If not, then follow the method outlined here.
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