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NEW RESEARCH HAS shown parents of children who wet the bed rarely seek advice from their GP and many keep the problem a secret from others.
The results of a survey were published today by the Search for a Dry Bed campaign, with the research focusing on the pattern of bedwetting during the summer months.
It showed that almost a third of parents say their child misses out on summer activities such as sleepovers with friends and family and camping trips due to wetting the bed with 62 per cent of children continuing to wet the bed regularly while away from home.
Over a third of parents also said that their own summer holiday is affected by their child wearing pull-ups, having to remember to pack disposable bed mats and extra supplies. Data shows 14 per cent of parents said they become more anxious that their child will wet the bed during the summer holidays, and they will have to inform others that their child may have an accident.
25 per cent of parents said they do not tell others about their child’s bedwetting and just one in ten go to their GP to seek help, despite reporting that their child suffers self-confidence issues and low moods as a result.
The most common methods used to prevent bed wetting during the summer months were restricting late-night drinks, mot making an issue of it and praising them when they are not wet.
Speaking today, consultant pediatrician at Cavan General Hospital, Dr Nick Van Der Spek, said he would encourage any parent coping with a child that wets the bed to visit their GP, their local public health nurse or the campaign’s website to seek “immediate advice”.
Van Der Spek will host a live Q&A on the topic on the Mummypages.ie Facebook page at 7pm on 23 May to provide parents with the opportunity to ask any questions about the condition, how to cope, and how to properly treat the condition. In addition, the campaign will host a children’s creative writing workshop in early June for some parents and their children who may have participated in the live interactive session on Mummypages.ie.
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You might mention that ‘bedwetting.ie’ is a website of Ferring Corporation, a pharmaceutical company that make drugs to treat bedwetting i.e. it’s advertising not research
Occasional bedwetting is something kids will grow out off. However, excessive bedwetting, along with a very thirsty child, can be the first sign of type 1 diabetes.
Children get embarrassed when this is happening especially as they grow older and social activities with friends are limited.
Taking them to the doctor reassures parents and children that this is something that can be managed and also checks the child for other potential problems that can cause bed wetting that are treatable
There are lots of helpful solutions out there.
Talking about it is half the battle.
Been there : done that
One of my kids wet the bed till they were about 11, nothing physically wrong, tried everything, was/is a very heavy sleeper and an anxious kid. I thought Id go insane washing sheets etc. it’s a very common thing in childhood, but there’s very few adults wet the bed!
Such bullshit – bedwetting is a natural part of being a child, they grow out of it anywhere between the age of say 5 and 12 … Does thuis warrant a “study” ?
If you’re wetting your bed around 12 years of age you have some problem. Upto 6 I would say is acceptable.
maybe 12 is a bit late alright, … but i wouldnt worry up to 8yrs …
I’ve seen German girls in their 20′s who still do it!
If I piss the bed/wardrobe/fridge after a night on the beer should I go to the doctor aswell
Michael,just stay off the beer.
That’s not a option Norman.
Michael adult nappies after a night on the lash,problem solved.
I take my babies to the doctor for anything. There is no need to take a chance. Maybe a cut gets infected? Who knows.
You have to take care of your family.
..A&E departments are filled to the brim, mostly with people who do not need to be there! ..taking chances is one thing, being sensible is another..
Well done John Duggan I was going to post similarly…
..I wish I had a job that could pay €45 for every visit to my GP or €100 for an A&E visit when I have a sniffle or tummy ache..
Well said Indoga, you have to look after your family.
How much would he be visiting the doctors if he was forking out 50-60 quid a time
Milking a system. Try a bit of cop on and some simple first aid training and you’ll save yourself the petrol money.
Why was my comment about
“his comments should be recorded between this column and an earlier story and shown to politicians to give example of people who take advantage of our failing broken economy “
It’s handy enough living in your 5 bedroom house paid for by the tax payer claiming every benefit the country has to offer, I guess you wear out your medical card every few months.
He’s a spunger, Careful what you say as anyone who disagrees with him is a racist.
I remember I used to have to share a bed with my brother when I was a child. One night I wet the bed, and because I was scared of my dad I rolled my sleeping brother over to my side. He took some beating the next morning!
LOL!! Funniest comment I’ve seen yet!
Glad you weren’t my brother…you’d have paid dearly for that beating
To this day he doesn’t know it was me who did it, he genuinely thought he must have did it. Hopefully he doesn’t read The Journal!
Your Dad used to beat you for wetting the bed? WTF.
Beat a kid for wetting a bed . Beat a kid for anything . That’s very sad
Take a child to a doctor because they wet they bed? I taught it was a common thing that kids wet a bed
Well you know what thought did. Thought it was swearing and wet the bed.
Going to a doctor is bulllls shit. Our young lad is now 10 and still wets the bed. Not as often but still enough to be worried when staying overnight somewhere else. He has seen doc and specialist for years to no avail, his mum is drained from changing sheets every time & from bringing him to appointments for no zero return. There’s a million causes & 2 million cures, but he he will grow out of it.
Damn straight, whats a doctor going to do, give them a pill for bed wetting… Its bed wetting, it will pass…
Bed wetting could be a sign of threadworms. A simple tablet / liquid dose could solve the problem. Could also be a sign of diabetes. My 5 year old hasnt wet the bed since she was night time trained when she turned 3. We started by lifting her on to a potty at night time and then moved to potty in her room for if she needed it and now the odd night you hear a pitter patter across the landing to the bathroom.
My daughter was night time trained at 2, we had a baby when she was 7 and she started wetting the bed, turned out she was diabetic. My son who is 6 wets the bed about once a month. I’m relaxed about it and so is he, he knows they are just simple accidents, nothing to be stressing over. He has a mattress protector and hasn’t worn pull ups in 2 years. I don’t see the need yo bring him to a gp. He will outgrow it sooner or later. Infact I believe his made progress as 2 years ago he wet the bed every night.
Wetting the bed can be due to late nights drinks etc, however may also be due to something emotional. My father died when I was young and I and some of my siblings wet the bed. Embodiments are a childs creative ways of dealing with something, and bedwetting can be a sign of distress.
Therefore, the response of the parent is important -criticism or punishment may only make matters worse. Compassion – which is understanding with love is what is required, to see what may lie beneath the bedwetting. All our childrens behaviors makes sense – we just need to figure out what is happening for them and listen to them, help them to express how they feel and what is going on for them.
For more see http://www.practicalparenting.ie and remember your child is always more important than their behavior.
If a child doesn’t grow out of bedwetting then the doctor’s fee might be better spent on an enuresis alarm that wakes the child up if they start to wet the bed. Unfortunately meds don’t have much of an evidence base.
First, don’t make the child feel bad, they can’t help this happening. Don’t tell everyone either as this takes the childs confidence away and finally try giving the child a weetabix before bedtime, believe it or not but it actually helps some children to overcome the problem.
Bed-wetting Remedy:
I have been struggling with bed wetting and i was deeply ashamed of myself. I desperately searched for remedies yet was unable to find any, Until I discovered Dr Power solution center, I personally dislike roots and herbs but i had no option because am the one that needed the help. He gave me some concoction to drink and behold to my greatest surprise i stop bed wetting. I you need an urgent solution to bed wetting contact Dr Power on email: dr.powerbedwetsolutionhome@gmail.com
there is lots of help out there, i reference brollysheets.co.uk for example, where this is advice and also products to help, i am currently potty training my daughter and she loves the potty training chart
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