Behavior Modification – This can be parents simply praising a child that stays dry through the night or can include monitoring devices that are meant to wake a child up as soon as there is moisture, building a child’s ability to wake up when their bladder is full. Additional suggestions include limiting how much a child has to drink for 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Counseling or Psychotherapy – This method is used more often to help a child through their anxiety or feelings of worthlessness because of the bedwetting. If bedwetting is occurring because of stress either with a family situation, social situation or in school, counseling can help the child deal with the cause of the frustration and in turn may eliminate or decrease bedwetting.
Medication – There are two medications most often prescribed for bedwetting. DDAVP (desmopressin acetate) is considered to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with nighttime enuresis. Tofranil is also used. This medication is also used to treat depression, ADHD and narcolepsy. For some children, medication may be used only when circumstances require it, such as sleep-overs or overnight camp. Other children will take the medication every night for a certain period of time. When considering medication, it is important to discuss with your physician any other medications your child may be on and determine if there may be interactions between the medications.
Whatever method parents may choose, it is important to remember that your children need to feel loved and accepted. Let them know that bedwetting does not stop you from loving them. Let them know that they are still worthy of being loved and that you want to help them because of the problems this may cause for them, not because you are ashamed of them.
Sources:
AD/HD and Enuresis (Bedwetting), Carol Watkins, MD, Northern County Psychiatric Associates
Clinical correlates of enuresis in ADHD and non-ADHD children, 1995, Biederman et al, Pub Med
