Taking

positive steps

A child should be made to feel that bedwetting is no big deal and a part of growing up.

However it can lead to low self-esteem and affect other parts of their life and it is important to talk openly about it. Always be optimistic because your confidence will help your child's confidence.

'Reassure your child that there are plenty of other children going through the same thing.'

Children who feel embarrassed and frustrated by bedwetting often leave parents feeling upset, powerless, puzzled and worried. It is important to make sure that your child understands that you are not angry with them. The situation may be made worse if children sense these feelings in you, which can result in them attempting to hide the condition, thus heightening feelings of anxiety and continuing the cycle of worry. Try to be sensitive to your child's feelings by listening and understanding their anxieties.

Progress Calendar

Once your child starts having a few dry nights, it's a good time to start tracking his or her progress.

Drink Diary

By keeping a drink diary you can help your child understand that what they put into their body while they're awake may affect what happens to them while they sleep.

Tools that help

All parents handle things in different ways. Some parents ignore the problem hoping their child will grow out of it, or they get angry and punish them - which could make the problem worse in the long run. Supporting and praising your child's efforts to stay dry is more likely to help them.

Here are some tools to help you approach bedwetting positively and to provide support for your child.

Progress calendar

Drink diary

Please note that the contents of this website are for information purposes only and are not intended as medical advice or as a substitute for your doctor's advice. For medical care and advice for your child, you should consult your doctor on a regular basis.

Points to Note

Be aware when using a reward programme that dry nights can be few and far between in the early stages. Because they can rarely achieve a reward, the child becomes demotivated and the programme actively dis-incentivises the child, leading to a failed response.
Keep the rewards small and make it something the child values.
Agree certain goals and acceptable behaviour - such as disposing of wet sheets and clothes in the manner agreed, or helping change the sheets when wet. The child then gets the reward for complying with this agreed behaviour.

Rewarding the action rather than the overall outcome is far more likely to be successful than only rewarding dry nights.