It's likely that bedwetting will go away on its own. In fact, 15

out of 100 kids who wet the bed will stop every year without any treatment

at all. But if you have this problem it's still a good idea for

you and your parents to talk to your doctor about it.

Your doctor will ask you some questions, and it's important to

answer them truthfully and not feel embarrassed. Remember, bedwetting

is so common that your doctor probably treats a lot of kids who do it.

Your doctor will want to help you and make you feel good about yourself.

The doctor will examine you and probably ask for a urine sample to test.

Some kids who have other problems, like constipation (when you aren't

pooping regularly), daytime wetting or urinary infections, may need

some extra tests.

If you wet the bed, there are some things you can do to stay dry. Try

not to drink anything after dinner and remember to go to the bathroom

before going to bed. If you do wet the bed, help with the cleanup by

pulling off the sheets and putting them in the laundry. Keep a chart

or calendar to keep track of your wet and dry nights, and talk to your

parents about getting rewards for staying dry. Maybe you can earn stickers

or points you can trade in for extra playtime, a trip to the movies,

or a new toy.

A lot of doctors think that the best treatment for enuresis is a program

that retrains your brain to either wake you up so you can go to the

bathroom or stay asleep and hold it until morning. This program includes

doing

bladder exercises, such as waiting a little longer to pee during

the day; reading about and imagining staying dry; or even using a tiny

alarm.

The alarm is connected to a pad placed in your underwear at night.

If you start to urinate, the pad senses the moisture and sets off the

alarm.

Different alarms buzz, vibrate, or do both, but they're all

easy to use and can help wake even the deepest sleeper.

There are medicines that can help kids who wet the bed, including a

nose spray. This may temporarily help you out, but it really isn't

a cure. Medicines to treat enuresis work best when combined with

the alarm or other training programs.

It may take some practice to retrain your brain, and you'll need

to be patient. But eventually, you will stop wetting the bed. Then you

won't have to worry about mentioning it in front of your friends.

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