Dr Catherine
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Boy
8-15 years

so my 12 year old wets the bed what do i do

When bedwetting continues for many years it can be very frustrating for both the child and the parent! Have you been to speak with a doctor about his bedwetting? If not, this is your first and most important step. The doctor will first run some tests to make sure his bedwetting isn’t symptomatic of some underlying medical condition then once you have the all clear, you can think about the best way to move forward. The form of treatment that is experiencing very good success rates is the conditioning alarm. Enuresis alarms have two basic parts: a wetness sensor that detects urine and an alarm unit that buzzes after your son wets the bed. It can mean lots of broken nights sleep initially but it is certainly worth the effort. Treatment can take between 3 and 6 months and it is not uncommon for children to experience one or two relapses before achieving permanent continence. When this happens you need to re-introduce the alarm and proceed as before. Any form of treatment should be conducted with the support of a medical professional so it is important that you do not try and do this on your own. All the best, Dr Cathrine