Dr Catherine
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Boy
8-15 years

Hi my son is 8 years old and is still wetting the bed should this be something we should be worried about as it is starting to effect he not been able to have sleep over as he doesn’t want anyone to know. Thanks Jade

Hi Jade - Understandably one of the most common concerns for children who wet the bed is attending social events like sleepovers and being "discovered" by their friends. Given his age it is certainly a good time to take him to your GP and look at introducing some form of treatment such as a conditioning alarm. In the meantime you want to think of strategies you can implement to ensure his bedwetting does not prevent him from engaging in social activities with his mates. The good news is that many children are able to attend sleepovers while wearing DryNites and noone is ever the wiser. It’s often helpful to hold the sleepover at your house first - that way he will have you around for support. If he does get invited elsewhere talk to the parents where your son is staying before he goes and prearrange a place where he can discretely change his clothes and dispose of his DryNites. If he would prefer to keep it a secret there are things he can try like hiding them in the bottom of a sleeping bag then putting them on once everyone has gotten into bed – he can even hide a bag of lollies in the bottom to disguise the noise! Provide him with a plastic bag so that he can take them off in the morning and place them in there. All the best, Dr Cathrine