Bedwetting FAQS

Bedwetting is common amongst children with special needs, with there being a higher incidence among children with ADHD, Asperger’s and Autism. In fact, children with ADHD are two to three times more likely to wet the bed and experience challenges with daytime bladder control than other children. They are also more likely to have sleep problems and find it hard to wake up to go to the bathroom when their bladder is full.

As with other milestones like walking, talking and eating without help, children with special needs often take longer to achieve night time bladder control and need more help and encouragement from parents and carers.

Also, it’s thought that many kids who wet the bed have nervous systems that are still developing: their bladder signals the brain that it’s time to go the toilet, but the brain is slow getting the message. This seems to be the case for many kids with special needs, including those with Asperger’s or ADHD. For these kids, the bedwetting often stops when they bodies have fully developed the pathway between brain and bladder.

Yes! Heaps do sooner or later. For many special needs kids and their parents it’s a really big deal achieving dry nights as everyone sleeps better, there’s less work, and the child gets a big boost of confidence and greater independence. So it’s well worth hanging in there and doing everything you can to help your child beat bedwetting.

DryNites® Night Time Pants are ideal. They are discreet, comfortable, convenient, highly absorbent and come in sizes to suits kids from two to teenage. A lot of kids with special needs find them easy to put on and take them off by themselves.

As back up, especially for older kids with special needs, a waterproof under-sheet and a mattress protector will help protect bedding.

Some special needs children use DryNites® Night Time Pants during the day, too. Their high absorbency means your child can go for longer between changes, so they’re great for outings and car journeys. Also, they’re discreet and not visible under clothes.

Australia has government schemes to help parents and carers of children with special needs to buy incontinence aids, as they may need to use disposable absorbent underwear like DryNites® Night Time Pants, for a longer time. If you need more advice and support, speak to your family doctor and ask about CAPS – the Continence Aids Payment Scheme.

Most kids wear DryNites® Night Time Pants as a replacement for underwear at night. But underwear certainly can be worn underneath DryNites® Night Time Pants (it might help them to feel when they’re wet). If you have a child that wears boxers, they may want to wear them over their DryNites® Night Time Pants.

Wetting the bed is very common for young people. There’s no need to worry about night time accidents. There are a range of things that can contribute to it and just as many easy ways to help it pass without a big fuss. For more information, take a look at our section on bedwetting.

Bedwetting is urinating at night time during sleep. Doctors call it nocturnal enuresis but most kids refer to it simply as wetting the bed.

No. Bedwetting isn’t anyone’s fault and there’s no evidence that daytime toilet training influences bedwetting.

Bedwetting girls can’t help it. They don’t do it on purpose to annoy parents or because they can’t be bothered getting out of bed. They are asleep when it happens. Most girls yearn to be dry at night. Telling her off and/or getting angry will only make her scared and anxious, which can make bedwetting last longer.

If one parent wet the bed then each child in the family has a 50% chance of wetting the bed. If both parents wet the bed, then each child has a 75% chance of bedwetting.

Most parents try this, but the problem is that it reinforces to the child that they can pee when they’re asleep! This can make bedwetting worse because the child is not responding to their brain waking them to a full bladder.

This is a very common question. There is no evidence that this is the case. DryNites® Night Time Pants don’t cure bedwetting, but they will help you to manage it and ensure that both you and your daughter have a good night sleep!

Take your daughter to the doctor if you’re worried about her health or wellbeing. Very occasionally bedwetting is caused by a medical condition.

Boys are almost twice as likely to wet the bed than girls.

DryNites® Night Time Pants help girls get a good night’s sleep and dream big. They provide privacy, independence and self-esteem until she outgrows bedwetting.

Most girls wear DryNites® Night Time Pants instead of underwear. But underwear can be worn under DryNites® Night Time Pants.

Bedwetting boys can’t help it. They don’t do it on purpose to annoy parents or because they can’t be bothered getting out of bed. They are asleep when it happens. Most boys can’t wait to be dry at night. Telling him off and/or getting angry will only make him scared and anxious, which can make bedwetting last longer.

This is a very common question. There is no evidence that this is the case. DryNites® Night Time Pants don’t cure bedwetting, but they will help you to manage it and ensure that both you and your son have a good night sleep!

Tell your other children that bedwetting is a fact of life for many kids and it’s not your boy’s fault as he’s fast asleep when it happens. Explain that it runs in families. It might’ve been them that wet the bed and how would they like to be given a hard time about it. Make a rule of no teasing, which, like other rules, has consequences if broken – such as no treats the next day or no TV.