Bedwetting solutions

Mums Tips

Baby & Toddlers

Published on Friday, 27 May 2011 21:01

Last Updated on 17 December 2021

Monica Costa

0 Comments

Bedwetting is more common than most people realise. It affects up to half a million children and teenagers in the UK every night but, because no one talks about it, most people think they’re alone. Here are some tips to overcome the problem.

Something can often be done to overcome or manage bedwetting and ERIC is here to help. ERIC is the only charity in the UK dedicated to providing information and support for children with continence problems and their families. ERIC’s ‘Dry and Mighty’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the issue and encourage parents and carers to contact ERIC for support.

ERIC’s top tips to become Dry and Mighty!

• Try to stay patient and calm so your child does not become anxious. A positive approach will help to reassure your child that they will succeed.

• Make sure that your child drinks 6-8 water-based drinks throughout the whole day. Cutting back on drinks does not help.

• Experiment to see if any drinks, such as fizzy or flavoured drinks increase the problem and avoid these accordingly.

• Ensure your child does not put off going to the toilet in the day and encourage a visit to the toilet last thing before settling down to sleep.

• Leave a soft light on to guide the way to the toilet at night and clear any obstacles from the route.

• Use bedding protection such as bed mats and duvet protectors (available from ERIC). Absorbent pants are also useful for under-fives and for holidays, but these are best dispensed with once your child is ready to tackle the bedwetting.

• Plan ahead if you will be staying away from home. ERIC’s ‘Nights Away – No Worries’ leaflet contains information to help manage bedwetting when staying away from home and is available online. There are also products that can help such as sleeping bag liners available from ERIC.

• Call ERIC’s confidential Helpline – Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm on 0845 370 8008 or visit www.eric.org.uk

SUMMER TIME – GET YOUR CHILD READY FOR SCHOOL WITH NEW CHARITY-ENDORSED PRODUCT

Although not often talked about, it is fairly common for children of school age to suffer with small daytime wetting or soiling accidents that can be difficult for them to manage and create stress and embarrassment for both children and parents.

If your child is still having daytime accidents and is starting school soon, there is a new product that can help get them more fully toilet trained and provide discreet protection when they start.

Dry Like Me toilet training pads have been developed by two mums, extensively researched and are endorsed by national children’s health charity, ERIC. The pads are different because they fit in a child’s own pants, so are more discreet than nappy-style alternatives, and capture small accidents to provide children with extra protection and confidence.

Dry Like Me toilet training pads have been specially designed for boys and girls aged 2 upwards and have effectively been used by children up to age 12. They are the best shape, size and structure to capture both liquid and solids and be comfortable to use. They come in one size that is used for all ages.

Dry Like Me toilet training pads are designed to help toilet train children more effectively because they allow children to progress to wearing their own pants. In research they were found to take away a lot of the stress of toilet training and also speed up the process, so they can be helpful in the run-up to starting school if your child is not fully toilet trained.

For children who are starting school and still having some accidents they can provide discreet protection that will help to take the stress out of accidents. They come with a handy waterproof pouch to store a spare or used pad and give older children the independence to deal with little accidents themselves.

Comments Jenny Perez from children’s charity, ERIC:

“Daytime wetting is more common in girls and younger children and may have many causes, including an overactive bladder, anxiety or urinary tract infection. The most common cause of soiling is constipation, which affects 29% of 4.5 year olds and can create anxiety and embarrassment for the child.

“Dry Like Me pads are a very useful product – both for older children experiencing daytime accidents and to help if you are potty training a younger child, as they allow children to wear their own pants. Wearing of their own pants is considered the best way to potty train younger children and is also far more discreet for older children experiencing problems.”

Comments Maxine Kelly, mother of four year old Freya: “Although Freya is potty trained, she still soils her pants sometimes and she gets very embarrassed. I was worried about how she’d cope with this when she starts school in September, as wearing nappies wouldn’t be an option. Dry Like Me pads have been a bit of a life-saver for us. They have taken the stress away as there are no more soiled pants and the pads are so discreet that no-one needs to know she’s wearing one. “

Dry Like Me toilet training pads cost around £3.49 for a pack of 18.

They are available from branches of Morrisons, ASDA Living, Wilkinsons and (from June) Sainsbury and ASDA grocery. For more information go to www.drylikeme.com.

For more information about toilet training or any other issue go to www.eric.org.uk.