Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is caused by a deep-sleep problem. Bedwetting is only a symptom of the deep sleep. This is why all the things you may have tried, like restricting liquids, getting them up at night and taking them to the bathroom, change in diet, medication, just to name a few, have not worked. This is because you are only dealing with the symptom, which is not the real problem.

To correct bedwetting properly, and to help each individual become dry and to possibly learn to sleep better and more normally, it is necessary to master what everyone who is dry is doing. That is, either waking up to void the contents of the bladder during the night or sleeping dry all night and voiding the contents of the bladder upon waking in the morning. They will learn this the same way they learn spelling, math or computer skills.

First, we need to establish what the individual’s bedwetting pattern might be under natural conditions. This pattern includes what time they wet, how much they wet, how many times they wet each night, and how they respond to efforts to awaken them at the time of each urination. The parent has no way of knowing exactly what time the enuretic wets because they do not wet at the same identical time every night.

Other symptoms caused by this type of deep-sleep may include bruxism (nocturnal teeth grinding), excessive snoring, sleepwalking, night terrors, sleep apnea and more.

Because of the improper sleep, many children have problems in school. For some, it starts early on, for others, it becomes more noticeable as their workload becomes more difficult and requires more concentration. They tend not to be able to pay attention and stay focused. Some seem to “wander off” or daydream. Some feel this can sometimes be associated with ADD/ADHD.

First, we need to establish what the individual’s bedwetting pattern might be under natural conditions. This pattern includes what time they wet, how much they wet, how many times they wet each night, and how they respond to efforts to awaken them at the time of each urination. The parent has no way of knowing exactly what time the enuretic wets because they do not wet at the same identical time every night.

No. Period. You didn’t do anything, and you didn’t fail to do anything, that would have changed the deep-sleep tendency your child inherited. Remember, the deep-sleep is what causes the bedwetting symptoms to exist and persist.

There are many alarms out there today, but think about it. The alarm goes off after they wet. Now you have to go in, get them up, lead them into the bathroom, come back and change the bed. And this may happen 2-3 times per night. Then you ask them in the morning if they remember it and they will tell you NO, they didn’t remember anything. It can get very frustrating for you and your bedwetter.

If alarms alone were effective, we would not be here.

No. Since the bedwetting is a symptom of the sleep problem, getting them up to use the toilet is only reinforcing the bedwetting. Unless they are FULLY awake, all you are doing is teaching them to continue to wet while they are still asleep.

NEVER pull them out of bed or yell at them while they are in that deep-sleep state. And please NEVER, NEVER throw cold water on them to get them to wake up. These actions will only terrify the bedwetter and foster fear and distrust.

A person does not outgrow the deep-sleep tendency on their own. However, as a person grows, the symptoms of their incorrect sleep may change.

About 15-20% of 5-year olds are still wetting the bed. While a large percent are dry by that age, no one would describe a 5-year old as mature. Maturity has nothing to do with becoming dry.

A child, adolescent or adult who is dry during the day, but who wets at night, CAN be taught to change their incorrect deep-sleep tendency.

There really isn’t any good reason to wait to see when, or even if, they may “outgrow” bedwetting. Becoming dry at 18 by waiting is not the same as Correcting the Sleep Problem at a younger age. If the nighttime bedwetting stops, there is very little that can be done to correct the deep-sleep problem that will continue for the rest of their life. Childhood is too important to allow chance to decide the quality of a child’s life.

It is best to resolve the bedwetting at an early age (5-6 years old). The reason for this is the longer you wait, the harder it can be on the bedwetter. Because you try different things and they don’t work, they start to feel nothing can help them. This is where it can start to affect their self-esteem and self-confidence.

They feel something is wrong with them. Sometimes the parent will ask the bedwetter why they wet. The answer will always be the same, “I don’t know.” This is true, they don’t know. If they did, they would not be wetting!

Yes, our bodies are made of approximately 60% water. Keeping the body hydrated is extremely important. But even more so, the brain is about 75% water! It needs water to function at its best.

Let’s face it, at some time or another you have restricted the amount of water the bedwetter is given before bed. But you came to realize that it didn’t really help with the bedwetting problem. That is because it is a sleep problem, not an issue with the amount of liquid before bed.

One drug frequently prescribed by medical doctors is actually a synthetic hormone that stops the function of producing urine. The side effects vary but include headaches, facial flushing, nausea, hyponatremia (low blood sodium) and seizures.

While taking the drug, liquid is restricted before bed. When the drug is stopped, the bedwetting, or other symptoms of the sleep problem usually reoccur. And, as mentioned earlier, it is depriving the brain of water that it desperately needs.

A Nightmare is an alarming occurrence happening during a dream. It may awaken the dreamer and they may have a full or partial memory of what happened in the dream.

Night Terrors are completely different. The person having the night terror remains asleep and doesn’t remember anything about it the next morning.

They may appear to be awake such as sitting up, screaming or calling out or even getting out of bed and talking or running around. If they do become awake, they probably will be disorientated and confused. It seems a Night Terror is more alarming to the observer than to the person experiencing it.