LONDON, May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
If your little one is going through a bedwetting phase, there is no need to worry. Plenty of children experience bedwetting, and there are lots of handy tips and advice available.
Bedwetting is common, and many parents are in the same position as you - but just need a little bit of guidance. Luckily, Emma Kenny, bedwetting expert and DryNites® ambassador, brings you her quick Q&A featuring some of the most common questions she has encountered
Q. Hi Emma, so how common is bedwetting?
A. Bedwetting is actually more common than parents think, with a fifth of five-year-olds wetting the bed on a regular basis and almost one in ten four to 15-year-olds doing this at some point.
This means that bedwetting is as widespread as eczema or asthma, affecting nearly 600,000 children across the UK, so if your child starts to experience bedwetting, you really should not worry.
Q. So what is it that actually causes bedwetting?
A. There are a number of factors that can cause bedwetting, though usually children who wet the bed have difficulty in recognising the sensation of a full bladder at night, so they don't wake up or 'hold-on' to the sensation of a full bladder.
For a few children their bladder is a bit "overactive" or "twitchy", so it gives the sensation of fullness before it is really full.
There is also a hereditary link; if both parents wet the bed, their child has a 75% chance of also wetting the bed; in the case of one parent the figure is 40%.
Q: I'm becoming increasingly frustrated, is bedwetting a way of my kids simply acting out?
A: No child wants to wet the bed! Bedwetting is just one of those things that can happen when you're a parent. As long as you stay calm and patient with them, and don't blame them for accidents, the bedwetting should stop soon enough.
In the meantime, useful products such as the Drynites® Bed Mat can help to deal with any little accidents that may still occur.
New DryNites® Bed Mats with Stick & Stay Put are designed for ultimate undercover confidence. Highly absorbent with waterproof backing, the new peel-off adhesive back sheet secures the Bed Mat to a mattress, keeping it in place for great night-long protection.
Q: Is it true that carrying your child to the toilet can help bedwetting?
A: It's likely that most parents try this method at some point, as taking them to the toilet seems like a natural thing to do to stop, or at least control, the bedwetting. Unfortunately what it does do is reinforce to the child that they can urinate when they are asleep or that mummy and daddy will take them to the toilet.
This can make the wetting worse because the child is not responding to their brain waking them to a full bladder. DryNites® Pyjama Pants® can help deal with any accidents that may occur as your child learns to wake on their own, making cleaning up a little less stressful for mum or dad.
Q: I've heard that limiting drinks after 4pm won't actually help. Is this true?
A: That is correct, yes! Doing this could actually make the situation worse! Limiting drinks may cause dehydration and concentrated urine, which could cause bladder irritability. It's important that your child has plenty to drink throughout the day to develop good bladder habits. Limiting drinks a couple of hours before bed may help but never deny a thirsty child a drink.
Q. What can I do to help my child?
A. It is important to reassure your child that there are many other children with this problem and it is not their fault. Talking it over and exploring how your child feels about bedwetting and what he or she thinks about the situation might help find a way forward. It is important for them to realise that bedwetting is just a phase and parents can manage the transition to dryness with their child.
Using absorbent sleepwear such as DryNites® is one way to help a child through bedwetting. Although DryNites® don't offer a cure, they help parents and children cope with bedwetting, keeping clothing and sheets dry so you and your child can sleep with confidence.
DryNites® Pyjama Pants are designed to be worn discreetly under nightwear, they look and feel like real underwear and have a thin absorbent pad that draws wetness away from the skin.
Q. Where can I go for further advice?
A. The DryNites website, drynites.co.uk, has lots of advice and information to help parents manage this phase. It outlines the reasons why bedwetting happens and offers tips on how to cope with it.
Search: DryNites bedwetting
SOURCE Kimberley Clark
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