Need advice for potty training a boy!

[crisi]

I still think late bedwetting indicates a good possibility of a medical problem.

Which is why advice #1 is talk to your doctor - my first response. But rarely is it anything more than a child with an extraordinarily deep sleep pattern. Its also linked to ADD, genetics, sleep apena, some food sensitivities and allergies. But most kids do just do outgrow it.

 

[Trixie15]

Late bedwetting is perfectly normal. It can be a form of sleepwalking - if you're concerned about it you could consider having a sleep study done on your child. Your pediatrician can help you find the answers.

Having someone tell you that it's not normal certainly doesn't help anything, especially if that person is not specifically trained in that specialty and just thinks that what he/she thinks is right, is.

 

[perdidochas]

Late bedwetting is perfectly normal. It can be a form of sleepwalking - if you're concerned about it you could consider having a sleep study done on your child. Your pediatrician can help you find the answers.

Having someone tell you that it's not normal certainly doesn't help anything, especially if that person is not specifically trained in that specialty and just thinks that what he/she thinks is right, is.

It is not perfectly normal. Perfectly normal is to stop bedwetting soon after being toilet trained.

Regardless of being told it's "normal" or not, it isn't, and the people with the problem know it isn't. The important thing is to find strategies to control it.

I get tired of hearing PC talk that pretends that things that are abnormal are really "normal." They aren't. There is nothing wrong with not being perfectly "normal." However, it is something to investigate.

 

[jodifla]

It is not perfectly normal. Perfectly normal is to stop bedwetting soon after being toilet trained.

Regardless of being told it's "normal" or not, it isn't, and the people with the problem know it isn't. The important thing is to find strategies to control it.

I get tired of hearing PC talk that pretends that things that are abnormal are really "normal." They aren't. There is nothing wrong with not being perfectly "normal." However, it is something to investigate.

Are you a doctor? Didn't think so.

I have a sheet that I just picked up from my pediatrician's office that states IT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL for kids to wet the bed through 6 yers old and later.

I was a late bed wetter...through about 12 years old. And I am perfectly healthy. Now, that they have all the new methods, I'm sure my folks would have tried them.

My 5 year old wets the bed nightly. He's a deep sleeper, like me. So I simply put a GoodNite on him. No problem....and no NEEDLESS STRESS for either of us.

 

[jodifla]

ok i have a problem... my just turned 11 yr old still wets the bed. He is healthy - just sleeps really deep. I've tried a timer set for every 2 1/2 hours and that worked for about a week or two. Then he just started sleeping right through it ;along with the rest of the family. Everymorning i tell him to take his sheets and wet blankets down to the wash and put on clean clothes etc. Still it is to the point his clothes still smell wet even when they are clean. HELP! We are out of ideas. Dh is not willing to pay for any programs or tools as i've seen available. This has to be a tried and true home style help. Of course i've tried other things to wake him during the night but there is a window i haven't found yet when he usually goes. Sometimes he stays dry most times not. I know he doesn't WANT to wet during the night so i don't think he is being lazy. He doesn't show laziness in other areas such as helping around the house etc.

Late bed wetter here....and I really think that for your DS's sake, you just need to overrule your DH and either get meds or an alarm for your son.

Both of these things have really good track records, and the medicine might even be covered by insurance, so the cost would be minimal.

I was a really really deep sleeper was well, and didn't grow out of it until my teens. No amount of cajoling or threatening would work. I was simply sound asleep.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

It is not perfectly normal. Perfectly normal is to stop bedwetting soon after being toilet trained.

Regardless of being told it's "normal" or not, it isn't, and the people with the problem know it isn't. The important thing is to find strategies to control it.

I get tired of hearing PC talk that pretends that things that are abnormal are really "normal." They aren't. There is nothing wrong with not being perfectly "normal." However, it is something to investigate.

So I guess the pediatricians are wrong and you are right. Too bad they wasted all those years getting medical degrees.

Are you trying to make some of the posters feel bad by saying their kids aren't normal? Give me a break.

 

[crisi]

It is not perfectly normal. Perfectly normal is to stop bedwetting soon after being toilet trained.

Regardless of being told it's "normal" or not, it isn't, and the people with the problem know it isn't. The important thing is to find strategies to control it.

I get tired of hearing PC talk that pretends that things that are abnormal are really "normal." They aren't. There is nothing wrong with not being perfectly "normal." However, it is something to investigate.

What is your definition of normal? Most kids will stop bedwetting shortly after being toilet training. However 3-5% of kids will wet their beds INTO THEIR TEENAGE YEARS. Either this is normal, or we have an epidemic of bedwetting.

And why do you care? I care because you are accusing this poor child (and myself and now Jodi) of being "not normal." Believe me, the stigma of late bedwetting is bad enough without you continuing to spew your ignorance.

 

[SmallWorld71]

mom2cookies -
I wish I had some good advice for you, but I just wanted to back up those who say this is perfectly normal. While there could be an underlying medical condition, plenty of perfectly healthy older children don't wake up to use the bathroom. One of my sisters and one of DH's brothers had this problem until 12 or 13. We tried lots of things with my sister, in conjunction with the pediatrician, but unfortunately nothing worked. (There was no medication available at that time.) Eventually she just outgrew it. Good luck.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Hi, I searched the internet for the American Academy of Pediatrics bed wetting and found some helpful information.

 

[mom2cookies]

Again thank you all for your support. I am encouraged to keep trying ideas and help him overcome this. For those of you that did wet until later years, how or what did you or your parents do to get rid of the smell? He is clean and his clothes are clean but the smell lingers and i know of at least 1 classmate that has mentioned it.

 

[cinjam]

Haven't read all the responses, so I am sure I repeating someone. We did it this way for our 2nd son (who trained at 2 months shy of his 3rd birthday). I found a time when I would be home with him 4 days straight (long weekend). I put him in diapers, no pull-ups, water-proof liners under his sheets. That's it, we went cold turkey.

Pre-school picked up on the 5th day right where we left off. He did ask for diapers (I hid them all & said I threw them out) a few times. I told him he was a big boy now & no more diapers were needed. He did have a few accidents, but by day #2 he did very well. By day #3 he was doing great. Had maybe 3 accidents total at pre-school.

He turned 3 on monday & has been doing great (occasional accident while sleeping - becasue sometimes he refuses to pee before he goes to bed at night!).

Someone once told me that we (parents) had to be totally committed to the "project" and have several free days in a row (to be consistent w/reminding & praise, etc). Plus DS had to shows signs of being ready (ie - annoucing he had to go or had gone).

Good luck!