My six year-old is wetting his pants and bed wetting.

[Cassiel]

No matter what I try our six year-old continues to wet himself.  During the day he wers underwear and at night I have him in pull-ups. I have gone to his pediatrician, tried reasoning, and sometimes anger.   I don't want him to feel bad, but nothing else is working. I can't figure out if it's stress related or developmental.  I'm in the middle of a custody agreement that has him in two different homes every three weeks.  He's also been very active lately, almost hyperactive, and has trouble concentrating.  

I'm not certain what to do at this point.  I've run out of ideas.  Anything advice would be helpful.

Thank you.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

There are times when the most sensible intervention is to seek professional help. There's no point in speculating if your son is experiencing stress beyond what he can manage comfortably. Seek a mental health consult and figure this out. If  enuresis occurs only during the night, it is usually not related to stress. Daytime enuresis is more likely, but not always, related to stress.

[casfrog]

I have a son that had the same problem.  He's now 13 and has been wetting the bed off and on since he was 6.  Have you tried a Sleep/wake alarm?  These tend to work well  Ask you're pediatrician about it.  Also limiting his drinks before bedtime may help.  Also, a website you can go to  www.bedwetting.com, should have some ideas.  If you want some more feedback from me, let me know through this forum and I'll try to help you.

[prayer]

Our 7 year-old was wetting his bed what seemed to be every night.  We figured he was experiencing some stress because almost every night before school or some big event he would wet.  Many times it was not just a little but totally soaked.  We considered using the bed alarms, pull-ups, etc.  We tried a few things.  We did limit fluids at supper and before bedtime stating the reason as being he had a hard time not wetting his bed.  We also would get him up sometimes before we went to bed at 10 or 11 which sometimes worked but not always.  We decided that when he did wet that he would have to do the initial cleaning like taking wet underwear and pajamas and rinsing them in the clean toilet bowl and putting them in the washing machine.  This was some work for him and made it less desirable to just wet the bed.  The thing that we think helped the most was not making too big a deal of it.  If he says that he wet his bed just quietly go to work but making sure he helps or does the majority of easy but necessary clean-up no matter what time of the night.  We settled down on this issue and decided that it might be a long time to get past.  We bought a plastic sheet, some extra sheets and pajamas and expected it to happen every night.  We also created a star chart for a variety of behaviors that included bed wetting where he would get a star for a dry bed and a star for dry underwear.  5 stars in a row and he got to pick from a prize box.  10 stars in a row and we went skating or out to eat, etc.  The charting showed us that he wasn't actually wetting as much as it felt like and gave him a visible motivation.  It has been about a month and he is now getting up around 5 or 6 and going to the bathroom.  We allow him to drink fluids in reason before bed and it has been okay.  When he wants a drink we say it is okay because we know that it is not fun when he wets his bed.  Biggest thing for our sanity was to expect it every day and say to ourselves it is no big deal and that this to will pass.  How many 10 year-olds do you hear of wetting their beds?  :-)

[crisemich]

My seven year-old is also wetting his pants during the day. I thought it was because, he doesn't stop what he's doing to go. Or when he does it's to late.Please, I really need some advise. Nothing seems to work! And, this really upsets me, and him also.What could be wrong?-At first I would talk to him and try to remind him to go. That we would try to work on this problem. But, now I find myself yelling and punishing him, because I'm tired of this on going problem and I know he is.Please, help...What books could I read or things I should try. Thank you

[fashioncraze]

A related discussion, Wets pants at 4 years old was started.