Bed-Wetting

You may hear of other ways to help children who wet the bed. But not all of these treatments have good evidence that they help. Talk to your doctor before you spend time and money on these other treatments. Ask about the risks and benefits. Examples include:

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• Bladder-stretching exercises that teach the child to hold urine for longer periods of time.
• Dry-bed training, which consists of following a strict schedule for waking the child up at night until he or she learns to wake up alone when needed.
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• Waking your child and taking him or her to the toilet a few times each night, or having your older child wake himself or herself a few times each night to use the toilet.

It's not a good idea to have your child wear diapers or pull-ups at night on a regular basis. Using diapers can get in the way of proven treatments (such as motivational therapy and moisture alarms) that require a child to get up at night.

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