Bedwetting: What can make everyday life easier?

If you’re well prepared, it doesn’t take long to make the bed again and everyone can get back to sleep quickly. Here are some suggestions that could help:

• Protect the child’s mattress with waterproof pads, sheets or covers. There are also washable protective covers for duvets and pillows.
• Lay out clean pajamas, fresh bedsheets and covers – or a second set of clean bedding ready to put on the bed.
• Make sure you have enough time in the morning to take care of the washing and have the child shower.

Depending on how old the child is, they can also help to make the bed, or learn to do it themselves.

Sometimes German public health insurance plans cover the cost of medical aids like mattress overlays. Then you will need a prescription from a doctor.

Taking a shower is a good way to eliminate the smell of urine. Airing out the room can help get rid of the smell. Scented oils or sprays can also be used.

Protective covers, bedding and clothing sometimes still smell even after being washed. Soaking them in warm water that has been mixed with baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) or a few drops of eucalyptus oil can help to get rid of the odor. You can also add antibacterial laundry sanitizer to the wash.

Morning hygiene routines – such as taking a shower and putting on cream – can lower the chances of a rash, too. The child may get a rash if their skin has been in contact with urine for several hours. Rashes can be treated with ointments or creams that have zinc oxide or dexpanthenol in them, for instance. These can be prescribed by a doctor. Children who wear a diaper or special absorbent pants at night are more likely to develop rashes because their skin is exposed to urine for longer. Having eczema or other skin conditions also increases the likelihood of developing rashes.

In addition to patience and understanding, it’s important to talk to the child about bedwetting and find out if it’s causing them distress and how bad the problem is. It's best to decide together with your child whether you want to do something about the bedwetting or wait and see how things develop.

Learning about the causes of bedwetting and being aware that many other children are also dealing with it can help a child feel less troubled. That way, they will see that bedwetting is nothing out of the ordinary, and that people grow out of it sooner or later. It may help to know that other kids at school probably have the same problem, even if they never talk about it.

It can also be comforting for a child to learn that their genes influence how quickly bladder control develops – and that this is why bedwetting could be an issue for multiple generations.

It is important for children to realize that there’s nothing wrong with them just because it’s taking a bit longer for them to stop having accidents at night. Knowing this can boost their self-esteem and make it easier for them to deal with the problem.

The role that emotional triggers might play in bedwetting has long been discussed. But worries and emotional problems are more likely to be a result of bedwetting, and not the cause: Children who wet their bed often feel ashamed or guilty and have low self-esteem. Some of them are quite embarrassed about their bladder control problem.

It is best for parents and families to try to be patient and as calm as possible when dealing with this issue. Parents help their child as best they can and wait until they grow out of it.

Emotional problems are more likely to be a cause of bedwetting in cases where a child who used to be dry at night starts wetting their bed again. This is called secondary enuresis.