unfortunately not all children outgrow bedwetting – with some requiring more than just the basic measures we can implement at home. If you are concerned about her bedwetting going on too long or it is becoming an issue for your daughter then it is time to schedule an appointment with your GP to get a thorough physical exam and to discuss treatment. We no longer recommend restricting drinks in the evening – we do however ask parents to encourage their child to drink plenty of water throughout the day as this helps train the bladder to hold larger quantities of urine. Waking her at night to take her to the toilet may help in reducing the number of wet beds, however this should only be done if it does not result in disrupted sleep patterns for you and your daughter. You need to keep in mind that in most cases this approach is unlikely to teach her to wake-up on her own in response to a full bladder. If you do decide to continue with this approach it is a good idea to vary the times you wake her otherwise there is the danger of conditioning her bladder to empty at the same time each night. You have two options when it comes to attending sleepovers – whatever you decide it is important that you do not allow her bedwetting to interfere with social opportunities as this can affect her self-esteem and self-confidence. The best and most convenient option is for her to wear absorbent pants like DryNites. Understandably her biggest concern will be being discovered by her friends, so you will need to plan together how she will put them on and off without being discovered. There are some great stories about school camps and sleepovers on the DryNites website that you may find helpful. Your second option is medication – you will need to discuss this with your doctor as there can be side effects and it is not always successful, so a dummy run is essential.

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