Mommy Put Me Back In Diapers? Top Answer Update

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We grow up associating diapers with young children and never think we might need them later in life. In fact, not many people know that there are diapers specifically designed for adults. This is a touchy subject because not many adults are willing to accept that they need diapers.

So what happens when your elderly parents have to use adult diapers? How do you convince your parents that wearing diapers is for the best? This might sound like an impossible mission, but it’s not as hard as you think. Caregivers are also trained to help people who need their help understand why certain actions need to be taken.

You can start by searching the internet for useful tips. If your income allows, consider hiring a professional caregiver. This is very handy, especially when you have a busy work schedule.

Older parents need a lot of nurturing and that can be hard to afford when you’re already championing a 9-5. It’s fairly advisable to call in a professional as it will make the situation less weird and more bearable for your parents.

This article will break down everything you need to know about adult diapers so you can more easily convince your elderly parents of their usefulness. Let’s start!

Understand why it’s so hard for your parents to accept

While inconveniences can occur at any age, they are common as we age. Many seniors develop difficulties, and no matter how hard they try to ignore the problem, many don’t go away. As their family, you must find a permanent solution that will allow them to live their lives as they normally would.

However, before you implement a solution, you must achieve it. To do this, you should first put yourself in their shoes. Discomfort may be a normal part of aging, but that doesn’t mean seniors should suffer. The world is not what it was a few decades ago. There are many innovations out there that address almost every problem people encounter throughout their lives.

As an adult child of an older parent, you should remember that they are still your parents. Forcing your parents to do something without helping them understand why can seem disrespectful. Sometimes they already get it, but they don’t buy the idea. It’s your duty to figure out how to convince her without hurting her ego.

Your parents grew up caring for you and it will take a lot of adjustment before they can accept the need for adult diapers.

Make them understand that adult diapers are actually designed to preserve their dignity. Nothing is quite as outrageous as finding out that urine has leaked through your clothes without your knowledge. With an adult diaper, your mom or dad can get through the day without worrying about such unpleasant surprises.

If you reason together, you will manage to help your beloved parent make the right decision. Remember to be patient and persistent so they know how concerned and serious you are about the matter.

Deal with the denial head-on

You’ve already discovered that inconvenience to your parents is hard to accept. The next step is to address the problem as it is. While you want to make sure your parents aren’t being disrespected in any way, don’t beat around the bush. Deal with the denial head-on. Otherwise you won’t make any progress.

You cannot encourage your parents to live with denial, especially when their cognitive abilities are still functional.

Rather than give in, appeal to their sense of vanity because that is what keeps many people in denial. Don’t make them feel like they’re losing the battle against nature, though. Many seniors suffer from age discrimination guilt and you should not act to aggravate it.

Promise your parents that you will work with them throughout the induction phase until they are comfortable using the adult diapers. Make them understand that inconveniences increase their independence instead of robbing them of their dignity.

Use convenient euphemisms

If you want to get through to your parents, the last thing you want to do is call those uncomfortable panties diapers. Everyone grew up associating diapers with children and they wouldn’t want to accept that they need them. There are many connotations you can use to ensure parental comfort when bringing up this topic.

Choose your words very carefully so that you don’t end up unknowingly offending your parents. This hurts your argument and you may not be able to convince them to use inconveniences. Aside from inconveniences, you can also use the term undergarment lining so you have a better chance of getting your case.

Call in a specialist

This is very important as people tend to take professionals seriously. However, don’t do this before your parents buy the idea. You should both be on the same page when introducing a specialist. Otherwise, they feel incapable and disrespected.

No matter how much research you do, specialists are always better informed than you. Including them helps shed more light on adult diapers for men. A professional will help your elderly parents see why they need underwear pads on a daily basis.

At best, the professional might be able to diagnose the problem and offer treatment. This actually makes the use of adult diapers more bearable as the patient will consider that it is only temporary until healed.

People tend to overstate things when it could be an infection that can be successfully treated.

Involving a specialist will also help you rule out various diseases such as prostate problems and urinary tract infections. You might find out your parents don’t need adult diapers after all.

Wrap up

As you can see, convincing your parents to use adult diapers isn’t as hard as it seems. All you need is the right approach and you’re good to go. Be sure to consult a specialist, as certain scenarios may not require your parents to use adult diapers.

An adult nappy (or adult nappy in Australian English, British English and Hiberno-English) is a nappy designed to be worn by a person whose physique is larger than that of an infant or toddler. Diapers may be necessary for adults with various medical conditions such as incontinence, limited mobility, severe diarrhea or dementia. Adult diapers are manufactured in various forms, including those resembling traditional children’s diapers, underpants, and pads resembling sanitary napkins (known as incontinence pads). Super absorbent polymer is mainly used to absorb body waste and liquids.

adult diaper

Alternative terms such as “panties”, “incontinence briefs” or “incontinence products” are also used.

Global Market

The size of the adult diaper market was US$9.8 billion in 2016, up from US$9.2 billion in 2015.[1] Adult diaper sales in the United States were projected to increase 48 percent from 2015 to 2020, compared to 2.6 percent for infant diapers.[2] The adult incontinence market in Japan was US$1.8 billion in 2016, approximately 20 percent of the global market.[2]

Used

health care

“Although putting on a diaper to reduce bathroom visits isn’t something you or I would do, otherwise, for good reasons, healthy adults wear diapers more often than we think.” —Merlene Davis of the Lexington Herald-Leader below Referring to the Lisa Nowak incident and adult diaper use in general.[3][4]

People with conditions that cause urinary or fecal incontinence often need diapers or similar products because they cannot control their bladder or bowels. People who are bedridden or in a wheelchair, including those with good bowel and bladder control, may also wear diapers because they cannot go to the bathroom on their own. People with cognitive impairments such as dementia may need diapers as they may not realize they need to reach a toilet.

Adult diapers for men and women in the form of underpants

Absorbent incontinence products come in a variety of types (drip collectors, pads, underwear and adult diapers), each with different capacities and sizes. Most of the products consumed fall into the lower absorbency range, and even with adult diapers, the cheapest and least absorbent brands are the most commonly used. This is not because people are going for the cheapest and least absorbent brands, but rather because medical facilities are the largest consumers of adult diapers and need to change patients every two hours. As a result, they choose products that meet their frequently changing needs, rather than products that could be worn longer or offer greater comfort.[5]

An adult male in a disposable diaper worn inside out (usually there is a way to tell the front from the back of a disposable diaper; in this image the gray square is on the back of the diaper, meaning it is worn inside out) .

adult diaper

Special diapers are required for swimming or pool therapy. These are known as swim diapers or containment swim briefs. They are primarily intended for fecal incontinence but can also be useful for temporary urine storage to maintain dignity during transfers from the locker room to the pool. Manufacturers like Discovery Trekking, Splash About and Theraquatics commonly use a stretch fabric[6] to allow for more adjustability for a snug fit. They are washable and reusable.

Law

The case of Hiltibran et al. against Levy et al. in the US District Court for the Western District of Missouri resulted in that court issuing an order in 2011. This order provides for Medicaid-funded Missouri adult diapers to be distributed to adults who would be institutionalized without them.[7][8][9]

astronauts

Astronauts wear trunk-like diapers called Maximum Absorbency Garments or MAGs during takeoff and landing.[10] On Space Shuttle missions, each crew member receives three diapers—for launch, reentry, and a spare diaper in case reentry must be averted and attempted later.[11] The superabsorbent fabric used in disposable diapers, which can support up to 400 times its weight, was designed to allow Apollo astronauts to remain on spacewalks and off-vehicle activities for at least six hours.[3][4] Originally, only female astronauts wore maximum absorbency garments because the absorbent devices used by men were unsuitable for women; However, reports of their comfort and effectiveness eventually convinced men to start wearing the diapers as well.[12] Public awareness of astronaut diapers rose significantly following the arrest of Lisa Nowak, a NASA astronaut charged with attempted murder and who rose to media notoriety when police reported that she had driven 900 miles wearing an adult diaper she did not have to stop to urinate.[13] The diapers became fodder for many television comedians and were included in an adaptation of the story on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, although Nowak denied she was wearing them.[14]

Fetishism and Infantilism

Diapers can also be worn by infantilists and diaper fetishists for convenience, sexual gratification, fashion, or emotional reasons.[15]

Miscellaneous

Other situations in which diapers are worn because access to a toilet is unavailable or not allowed for longer than even a normal urinary bladder can endure include:[16]

“Diapers are something people don’t want to see, but making them attractive makes it easier for people to learn about them.” – Kiyoko Hamada of the Aging Lifestyle Research Center, a lead organizer of the 2008 Tokyo Diaper Show.[31]

The adult diaper market in Japan is growing.[32] On September 25, 2008, Japanese adult diaper manufacturers held the world’s first diaper-only fashion show, during which they dramatized many informative dramatic scenarios that addressed various issues relevant to elderly people in diapers. “It was great to see so many different types of diapers in one demonstration,” said Aya Habuka, 26. “I learned a lot. This is the first time diapers have been considered fashionable.”[33]

In May 2010, the Japanese adult diaper market expanded to be used as an alternative fuel source. The used diapers are shredded, dried and sterilized for processing into fuel pellets for boilers. The fuel pellets account for 1/3 of the original weight and contain about 5,000 kcal of heat per kilogram.[34]

In September 2012, the Japanese magazine SPA! [ja] described the trend of wearing diapers among Japanese women.[35][36]

There are those who believe that diapers are a preferred alternative to going to the toilet. according to dr Dipak Chatterjee of the Mumbai newspaper Daily News and Analysis, public toilet facilities are so unsanitary that it is actually safer for people – especially women – who are prone to infection to wear adult diapers instead.[37] Seann Odoms of Men’s Health magazine believes that wearing diapers can help people of all ages maintain healthy bowel function. He himself claims to wear diapers full-time for these purported health benefits. “Diapers,” he says, “are nothing more than a more practical and healthier form of underwear. They are the safe and healthy way of life.”[38] Author Paul Davidson argues that it should be socially acceptable for all to wear diapers with the claim that they provide freedom and eliminate the unnecessary hassle of going to the toilet, as well as the social one Rise has offered solutions to other complications. He writes: “Get older people to finally feel hugged instead of ridiculed, and remove the teasing from the adolescent equation that negatively affects so many children. Give every person in this world the opportunity to live, learn, grow and urinate anywhere, anytime without societal pressures to “support themselves.”[39]

questions of dignity

Using adult diapers[40] can be embarrassing[41] and products are often marketed under euphemisms such as incontinence pads.

In 2006, seventeen students in a geriatric pharmacotherapy course participated in a voluntary “diaper experience” exercise to help them understand the impact that incontinence has on older adults. The students, who wore adult diapers for a day before writing a paper about it, described the experience as unfamiliar and physically challenging, noting that wearing diapers had a largely negative impact on them and that better solutions to incontinence were needed are. However, they praised the exercise for giving them insight into incontinence and the impact it has on people’s lives.[42]

In 2008, Ontario Minister of Health George Smitherman announced that he was considering wearing adult diapers himself to test their absorbency after nursing home residents were forced to stay in unmodified diapers for days. Smitherman’s suggestion earned him criticism from unions, who argued that the priority was not diaper capacity but rather staff shortages affecting how often they are changed, and he later apologized.

See also

How many times have you asked your child “Mama! Father! I’m done!” from the toilet? Wouldn’t it be nice if you could wipe your own butt? Wait, how old is that again?

By the age of 4, your child should be wiping their own butt, but will occasionally need a little help. Of course, every child learns toilet training at different ages, so this can vary between 3.5 and 5 years.

If your child is over 3.5 years old and still can’t wipe their butt after a bowel movement, then maybe now is the time to teach them how to do it as part of their toilet training. We’ve included some tips and activities to help your child wipe their butt more successfully so you don’t have to. Because we know toilet training is hard enough!

What age should we teach our child?

Parents often find themselves in a quandary when their little one is too old to be swaddled but not old enough to wipe their butt themselves. So how do you know when the time is right?

Every child starts potty training and toilet training at different ages, and so does wiping their butt. For some children this may be as early as 3-4 years of age and for others they may not be physically or mentally ready until the age of 5+. If they’re not yours yet, give them more time on this potty seat.

We like to tell parents to start toilet training when their child shows signs of it, but the age above is a good milestone. To help kids control their bowel movements, wiping your butt is the holy grail of going to the bathroom!

It can be difficult to decide whether or not your child needs help wiping after a bowel movement. Before you start getting them to wipe their own butt, it’s important to make sure they’re prepared for this task of toilet training. The following is sort of a checklist to make sure they’re ready:

Make sure your child feels this isn’t anything embarrassing! Make it a natural part of your day to talk about going to the toilet, and everyone should do it.

Make sure they are comfortable with this new responsibility by explaining why you want them to do everything on their own now. It will be hard work in the beginning, but it is important to continue training until they get the hang of it.

Even though your child may want to do the wiping on their own, it’s important that you still check their butt to make sure everything is clean. Hopefully over time they can wipe cleaner and you don’t have to help them anymore.

What if my child is 5 years old and hasn’t learned to wipe their own butt?

That’s okay because most kids learn toilet training, like other skills, at all different speeds. There can be many reasons why they haven’t learned to wipe their butts yet. They may have started potty training later than their peers. Maybe they didn’t like going to the bathroom and that reduced the number of exercise opportunities.

They may have difficulties with fine motor skills and therefore struggle with swiping. These are all real reasons and you know what? Practice creates masters. There’s a reason they call it toilet training. It’s toilet. Education!

We’ve outlined some ways you can teach your child to wipe their own butt and some activities you can practice outside of the toilet.

Do you need help using the toilet? Join the ReadyKids platform

for on-demand resources Sign up for free for one month

How do you teach your child to mop?

In order for your child to learn to wipe properly, they need to develop certain skills. It’s important to stay calm and be patient with our little ones during this time, toilet training can be tiring.

Although potty training can be difficult, it is a great opportunity for your child to develop independence. It is an important step in potty training success. A training potty or seat is essential in every toilet in the house, you never know when they will have to leave and using the potty is the best way for them to learn toilet training. We want to get our children to sit on the potty as much as possible.

Good seat balance

Good seat balance means they must be able to sit on the toilet seat and turn their head slightly without falling off or into the toilet. In order for a child to wipe their butt, they have to stretch their hands behind them and look at the toilet paper to see if it’s clean or dirty. Most children have trouble finding a good balance when they first start toilet training.

They can use a range of devices to help them feel more balanced and confident on the toilet. These include:

Toilet Liner – A child sized toilet liner makes the toilet seat smaller so they don’t fall down the toilet.

– A child-sized toilet insert makes the toilet seat smaller so they don’t fall down the toilet. Steps or Stools – Toilet steps not only help your child get to the toilet on their own, they also help your child feel more balanced when they put their feet on the step or stool. By putting their feet on a solid surface, they can feel more balanced when wiping themselves.

Sitting on the toilet for a long time can take your child’s toll, so be patient.

fold toilet paper

How often do you pull too much toilet paper (perhaps a whole roll?), ball it up and blot to “wipe”? Most children learn best by giving explicit instructions and watching an adult model the behavior for them.

Teach them how much toilet paper to use by putting a sticker on the wall that shows how far down they need to pull it. Usually around 4-5 squares is a good amount to start with.

Once they tear the toilet paper off the roll, it’s important to teach them to fold the paper in half and how to properly hold the paper in their hands. Make sure the toilet paper covers most of their hands when wiping their own butt. The less chaos the better!

swipe motion

If they know how to fold and hold the toilet paper, they need to learn the swiping motion – where to start and where to go. At first, they might need you to hold their hand and show them what to do with their own butt. Once they learn the right move, get them to try it themselves.

Teaching children the correct swiping motion can reduce skid marks and less dirty clothes.

Check if they are clean or not

After wiping their own butt, have them look at the toilet paper to check if they are clean or not. If it’s dirty, teach the kids to keep mopping. Even if they start showing clean paper, you still have to check as an adult.

Common mistakes when cleaning floors

Swipe from the front

Especially with girls, make sure your child wipes from front to back. This prevents germs and bacteria from entering the urethra (pee cavity) and vagina. This is less of a concern for boys since their urinary hole (i.e. penis) is farther from their butt. However, it’s good to keep practicing this wiping method anyway, as it can help with a cleaner wipe.

Poor quality toilet paper

We want our child to be as successful as possible. Imagine learning to wipe your butt and then constantly having holes in the toilet paper. Rough! Your child will learn how much pressure to apply when mopping.

This is much easier if we use good quality paper and know that we won’t break it. As they learn to wipe better, you can slowly reduce the quality of toilet paper if you want. However, during this learning process, it is important to have some good quality toilet paper.

Flushable wipes

These wipes are actually not very flushable. If you use wet wipes (even if they’re advertised as flushable), it’s best to have a trash can in the toilet and throw the wipes in the trash can rather than the toilet bowl.

Flushable wipes are a great way to teach play to children with poor fine motor skills. Wetness makes wiping easier, so flushable wipes are a good place to start if your child has a hard time wiping themselves clean.

Do you need help using the toilet? Join the ReadyKids platform

for on-demand resources Sign up for free for one month

Practice outside of the toilet

Getting your kids to use the potty is a tall order. But you can learn to practice these potty training skills outside of the toilet.

In addition to learning how to wipe after a bowel movement, you can also practice wiping techniques outside of the toilet.

wipe tables

Yes, have them practice wiping tables, countertops, windows, etc. with a cloth. This helps them understand the concept of dirty and clean. It can also help them learn to press down on the surface to wipe properly.

develop finger strength

Do activities that help your child develop finger strength. Better finger strength means they can wipe better with less toilet paper. Some finger strengthening exercises include playing with putty and clay, cutting with scissors, and playing with pliers and tweezers.

Funny balloon wipe game

There is a video of a teacher teaching her students to wipe their butts with balloons. If you want butt wiping to be a fun activity, you can try this balloon wiping game at home. All you need are:

balloons x2

line

peanut butter

chair

child

Toilet paper

Inflate 2 balloons to a small size. These balloons will represent our buttocks. Tie them together and glue them to the back of a chair. Smear some peanut butter in the middle between the two balloons. Have your child sit in the chair and use some toilet paper to wipe the peanut butter off the balloons until the balloons are clean.

Benefits of Knowing the Right Age for Toilet Training

Guide for First Time Parents

Although every child is different, it is helpful to know the approximate age at which other children learn to wipe their butts. Parents, especially of firstborns, may not know what is age appropriate, so it can be helpful to have some kind of guideline.

2. Knowing when to start

Depending on their parenting style, you can encourage your child to do things more independently or you can do things for them. Knowing that by age 4 your child should learn to wipe their own butt, parents can start this process at home.

3. Do other things

When a child learns to wipe their own butt, they have more time for other things. When your child learns to wipe their own butt, the parent can come in and take a look instead of being there the whole time they go to the bathroom.

4. Develop independence

Aside from the benefits for parents, teaching kids to wipe their own butts encourages independence. This is important for them to learn, especially if they are in school and may need to wipe their butts at school without adult help.

Do you need help using the toilet? Join the ReadyKids platform

for on-demand resources Sign up for free for one month

summary

By the time your child is 3-4 years old, they should be able to wipe their own bottom after a bowel movement. Essentially, most children this age and older should be able to wipe their own butts and get closer to potty training without much help from an adult.

Of course, every child learns at a different pace, so it can vary between 3.5 and 5 years. If your child is over 3.5 years old and still can’t wipe their own butt, hopefully the above tips and strategies will be helpful starting points for your child to learn how to successfully wipe their butt. They need time to develop not only bowel and bladder control but also skills like butt wiping. Don’t worry, if they use the toilet training method above with other skills on our blog, they might even start wiping their own butt in a few weeks!

To learn more about the developmental milestones of going to the toilet, click here!

Or if your child has problems with constipation or pollution, click here!

If you want more toilet training tips and strategies for kids, visit our ReadyKids platform. It’s filled with tips and activities recommended by our Occupational Therapist – tried and tested in the real world.

Choose low-profile products. Just as there are different degrees of incontinence, there are also different products that are tailored to the needs of incontinent patients. Choose options that are designed to look and feel like real underwear while providing protection in the areas you need it most. At the CareGiver partnership, we recommend Depend Silhouette underwear for women.

They are low profile, offer maximum absorbency, are soft and quiet, and fit well for excellent leak protection. We also recommend Depend Real Fit for Men, which combines the normality of real underwear with the protection of an incontinence product.

There could be a day in the next few years when adult diapers will outsell baby diapers.

According to Fortune, sales of adult diapers – which are aimed less at seniors and more at women in their 40s and 50s – are expected to grow nearly 50 percent by 2020.

“The growth has been due less to the aging of the population and more to marketing,” wrote Fortune’s Claire Golden. “Kimberly-Clark and Procter & Gamble, which drive the $6.2 billion baby diaper market, have in recent years introduced new products and marketing efforts aimed at non-elderly adults with bladder weakness.”

Instead of marketing disposable adult diapers exclusively to seniors, advertisers are taking an innovative approach, targeting a younger, hipper audience with the goal of making these diapers appear normal and even fun.

“To capture this market, manufacturers have launched marketing campaigns to make a leaky bubble appear, if not fashionable, then at least not humiliating,” write Carol Hymowitz and Lauren Coleman of Bloomberg Business Week.

“It’s not a big deal”

These companies use middle-aged brand ambassadors and target women who suffer from bladder weakness due to childbirth, obesity or age-related problems.

“We’re trying to make the product more normal and even funnier by having real people in our ads say, ‘Hey, I have urinary incontinence and it’s no big deal,'” Jay Gottleib, director of Kimberly-Clark’s adult and feminine care business, said Bloomberg last year.

All of this is a long way of saying that you are not alone in wearing adult diapers.

More than 19 million Americans struggle with some form of incontinence, and nearly 85 percent of them are women. Up to 1/3 of all adults struggle with bladder problems.

Bowel incontinence affects 6 percent of women under 40 and 15 percent of older women. For men it is six to ten percent.

According to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, about 30 percent of people with irritable bowel syndrome have frequent loose stools, while another 20 percent report bowel incontinence.

“Millions of Americans”

People have become much more open about the need for adult diapers in recent years. For example:

Singer Katy Perry has said she wore adult diapers in high school to help resolve bladder control issues.

Comedian Sarah Silverman has spoken openly about her incontinence issues, even writing a memoir called The Bedwetter.

Samuel L. Jackson began suffering from incontinence in his 40s and managed it by wearing incontinence underwear. “I realized this was a problem that millions of Americans dealt with every day,” he said.

Author Stephen King has incontinence products at his bedside because of a now healed urinary tract infection. “You never know when you’re going to need these,” he said.

In 2015, Oscar-winner Kate Winslet gave an interview on The Graham Norton Show where she spoke about coping with incontinence after giving birth to her three children.

If you are struggling with incontinence, Marx Medical can help. We carry:

Adult diapers designed to protect against heavy incontinence, with a cloth-like inner material and other material for comfort and discretion.

Protective pull-ons for people who need incontinence protection but want to wear something that feels like underwear.

Pads are ideal for protecting beds and chairs, and for patients who cannot use body-worn products due to sensitive skin.

Pads and liners for patients with mild bladder leakage.

Contact us to find out more about our incontinence products. We are confident that you will find something that can help you or your loved ones lead a more active and enjoyable life.

If you are someone who only used diapers as a child, consider yourself blessed. There are adults worse off than you.

There are many reasons why an adult wears diapers to bed.

Some people run to the bathroom in the middle of the night because their bladder is at its limit. It’s okay if it happens once, but some people have medical issues that force them to do this routine 3-4 times a night.

Others have an illness that forces them to wear a diaper to sleep. They would just wet the bed if they weren’t in a diaper.

After all, some people just feel more comfortable sleeping in a diaper. Does it sound weird? Maybe, but who am I to judge? People are free to live as they please. If wearing diapers makes her life better, let her. It does not concern me.

The 4 main reasons adults wear diapers to bed

One of the main reasons adults wear diapers to bed is because of illness. These include diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. Getting out of bed and going to the toilet would be a challenge for these people.

Another reason some adults wear diapers to bed is because they have bladder weakness, which regularly interrupts their sleep. This can be caused by many factors, including urinary tract infections, prostate problems in men, or bladder problems.

A third reason why some adults wear diapers to bed is diarrhea. Some people have an immune system that doesn’t work properly and as a result often experience diarrhea.

In these cases it is clear that we are dealing with people who either have mobility issues or would not be able to go to the toilet prior to the leak. Sleeping in a dirty bed is a miserable experience, so diapers help these people get through the night without any problems.

But there is another category of people who wear diapers to bed. Most people think that’s weird. There are adults who wear diapers to bed because they find it more comfortable.

Say what?

Yes, some people do it because it makes them feel better. They claim they are comfortable in the diaper like they are babies.

This could be a symptom of a condition called paraphilic infantilism, or ABDL for short. Basically, people feel and behave like babies. But it sounds a lot worse than it actually is. Most people who suffer from ABDL like baby things like diapers. Some indulge in despicable behaviors such as pedophilia, but they are an extreme minority. And there’s no real connection between the two, it’s just a potential red flag.

Wearing diapers as a healthy adult

Some people will find it disgusting. Others will question your sanity. But those people won’t even know you’re wearing a diaper unless you tell them. It’s a case of being afraid of something they don’t even know exists.

We’ve made a list of the pros and cons of wearing diapers to bed. Read it with an open mind and judge for yourself.

Benefits of wearing adult diapers

Wearing diapers to bed has many benefits. Aside from the necessities outlined above, even perfectly healthy adults can sleep better with it.

Here are the pros:

Diapers make you feel more secure. They snap gently at your hips and belly button, giving the feeling of being hugged. Your body remembers and loves that comforting feeling from your childhood.

. They snap gently at your hips and belly button, giving the feeling of being hugged. Your body remembers and loves that comforting feeling from your childhood. They are much more hygienic. Even if you’re not someone who has problems ending with a wet bed, your urinary system can still have minor leaks. These add up over the days and cause an uncomfortable feeling in your pants.

. Even if you’re not someone who has problems ending with a wet bed, your urinary system can still have minor leaks. These add up over the days and cause an uncomfortable feeling in your pants. They make you relax more easily in bed. You no longer have to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. You can chill in your bed, do your thing and go back to sleep straight away. Diapers are very useful.

. You no longer have to wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. You can chill in your bed, do your thing and go back to sleep straight away. Diapers are very useful. There are some people who are into it. Yes. This could be a scam for someone. I do not know. It’s a fetish. just put it out there

However, wearing diapers isn’t all rainbows and sunshine. There are possible side effects.

Disadvantages of wearing adult diapers

There are potential problems with wearing diapers. Most of these aren’t a problem if you only wear them to sleep, but they’re still worth paying attention to. You never know what might happen.

You may feel weird or uncomfortable. If you’re used to wearing regular pants, diapers can feel uncomfortable at first. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it eventually.

. If you’re used to wearing regular pants, diapers can feel uncomfortable at first. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it eventually. They’re pretty big. Not large to impede your movement, but large enough to catch a keen eye. Not that anyone would ever come up to you and ask if you’re wearing a diaper. But people might notice.

. Not large to impede your movement, but large enough to catch a keen eye. Not that anyone would ever come up to you and ask if you’re wearing a diaper. But people might notice. The costs add up quickly. Pants are washable and reusable. It’s not diapers. If you wear a new one every day, you’ll have to shell out some money for it. Of course, if you only wear them for comfort, you can afford to wear them more than once, but then there are better solutions to sleep like a baby.

Pants are washable and reusable. It’s not diapers. If you wear a new one every day, you’ll have to shell out some money for it. Of course, if you only wear them for comfort, you can afford to wear them more than once, but then there are better solutions to sleep like a baby. They can get very hot. Pants are minimalist. Diapers cover many more areas of your body. When the outside temperature is high, you will sweat a lot more than if you were wearing regular pants.

Pants are minimalist. Diapers cover many more areas of your body. When the temperature outside is high, you will sweat a lot more than if you were wearing regular pants. Finding the right size for you might be a challenge. There are companies that specialize in making large diapers, but mostly they are made for people of a certain size.

The best adult diapers for better sleep

Look, I’m not saying you’re missing out on the greatest invention since the wheel, but adult diapers don’t look so bad, do they?

That’s why I prepared this section for you to search for the best ones. You might want to try them on. Why not? If you don’t like them, no harm, no foul. But maybe you’re happy about it.

If you’re looking for a bargain, look no further. These are by far the cheapest diapers you will find that still work great. It keeps odors at bay and is comfortable to wear thanks to the cotton interior.

Attention: This product is only for women. Since women’s anatomy is different from men’s, as a man you should probably look for a different product. Women have larger pelvises, so these diapers fit loosely around the hips on men.

These diapers mimic traditional underwear, meaning they are thin and feel like wearing regular clothing. They are more expensive than other solutions but make up for this with higher quality. Definitely a great buy for someone looking for a high end product.

Large unisex underwear

These diapers are intended for taller people. If you are a bulky person, consider these. Most other diapers focus on fitting smaller individuals. That’s the main reason we included them. Aside from their larger size, they function like most other diapers.

Conclusions

While some people find wearing diapers to bed weird when they’re unnecessary, ignore them. Who are they to tell you what to do and what not to do? It is important that you feel comfortable in your body.

If diapers are what you need to achieve that result, then go for them. I know many people whose quality of life has improved after switching from regular underwear to diapers.

However, if you love wearing diapers, you should be careful. It could be a symptom of a larger underlying psychological problem. There are associations and forums dedicated to ABDL or paraphilic infantilism.

Take a look at these resources and make sure you don’t fall into that category. If you do, seek medical advice. There are trained professionals who will be happy to help you.

BY COLIN ELLISON

It is my firm belief that diapers should not be viewed any differently than other forms of medical equipment used to manage various health conditions, similar to glasses, inhalers for asthma and wheelchairs

Nocturnal wetting (the clinical term for bedwetting) affects millions of people around the world of all ages. Although some people can be cured of bedwetting using alarms, medication, surgery or other treatments, there are a significant number of people who have had no success treating their bedwetting. In fact, many adults wet the bed throughout their lives. The majority of people in this situation choose to wear some form of protective clothing to bed. Unfortunately, this group has largely been stigmatized for their decision to wear night protection. This issue appears to be less stigmatized than it used to be, and some evidence that this may be the case includes an increase in the variety of brands and styles of incontinence garments currently available to treat bedwetting and other forms of incontinence, such as: and an increase in the number of companies selling adult diapers, particularly online. Still, a large number of people look down on individuals who have to choose or wear diapers to manage their bedwetting.

I’ve read a lot on the subject both online and in various child care books and almost all child care experts and medical professionals (with a few exceptions – thank goodness there are some enlightened people) advise against the use of night diapers for older children, adolescents and adults, who suffer from this problem. The clothing items that most child care providers and medical professionals recommend for older bedwetters are underwear-style products like pull-ups and “goodnites.” In fact, the strategy used by these companies when marketing incontinence garments for older children, adolescents and adults is to make people feel like they are wearing underwear like clothing and to downplay the fact that the clothing is used for incontinence. This strategy is reflected in both the packaging and the advertising of the products. Packaging and advertising often say something along these lines – “looks and fits like normal underwear” or “underwear like design”. I’ve also noticed this – the diapers that are made and sold for adults, older children and teens look and fit like baby diapers like Pampers, Luvs and Huggies and are labeled as “disposable briefs”. This euphemism was coined years ago because no one wants to admit they wear diapers! The same marketing tactic is used for reusable incontinence products. We often use language to hide from the reality of the situation. A few other examples that come to mind are using the term “running gear” instead of the word “sneakers” and the word “landfill” instead of “dump.”

In short, I think this whole marketing strategy is grossly disingenuous and a classic case of denial. There are several reasons why I think this is the case. First off, the slip-on style underwear marketed for older bed-wetters (“Goodnites” being the most popular brand) looks just like regular diapers, except they slip on like underwear rather than being secured with tape or pins like diapers. In my opinion, the tapes and pins are no different than other fastening methods such as snaps, buttons or zippers. In addition, it has been pointed out by a number of people (including those suffering from incontinence) that traditional cloth and disposable diapers in general tend to be more absorbent and offer better protection than pull-on products for more severe forms of incontinence such as bedwetting

Second, by emphasizing the products’ appearance rather than function, we contribute to the negative perception of incontinence garment use, thereby contributing to the stigma of incontinence itself. Instead, as a society, we should be taking steps to reduce or eliminate this stigma.

Third, it hides from the reality of the situation. It’s the equivalent of using a hammer on a bolt when the most effective tool in that situation is a screwdriver. No matter what type of incontinence garment design is used and what it looks like, it doesn’t change its use for bedwetting or other forms of incontinence. So it shouldn’t matter if the product is designed for you to wear, stick, click, velcro, or pin on. It is still used for the same purpose. No amount of tinkering with the design or using euphemisms to market the product will change that. I’ve noticed that this strategy is particularly prevalent in the development of bedwetting products for older children and teens, as a visit to the local grocery store, pharmacy, Walmart, or Target will demonstrate. Since the product is only worn at night and the child or teen falls asleep while wearing it, there is no point for the teen to care about the appearance of the product. I think we need to be more pragmatic about this whole situation and focus on how effective the garments are at keeping the person and the bed dry and how comfortable the products are, not how the product looks or the image it has. Unfortunately, our society is very concerned about image and status and diapers have the image of infantile for most people.

While underwear-style products work for some individuals, as mentioned, diapers are the type of incontinence garments that work best for more severe forms of incontinence, such as bedwetting. A large number of bedwetters wet profusely and/or multiple times during the night, and as a result, some bedwetters pee through the pull-on style products and soak their bedding and pajamas. In addition to the inconvenience of having to get up in the middle of the night to change bed linen (sometimes more than once, which can affect a person’s sleep schedule), lying in wet clothing and bed linen can have harmful effects on the skin. In such a situation, it would be advisable to let the child, teenager or adult sleep in diapers instead. There are clip-on cloth diapers, plastic pants (also called “gummy pants” by many people, although that’s a misnomer), and disposable, snap-on diapers that are suitable for older children, teens, and adults. But most bedwetters and people suffering from other forms of incontinence are reluctant to wear them because we have long been accustomed to thinking that only babies or very young children wear diapers. However, in my opinion, one could argue that not wearing diapers to bed is more babyish. By not protecting themselves at night, the child, teen, or adult is not taking responsibility for the problem, which means they are not handling the situation in a mature, responsible manner. An important part of adulthood is taking appropriate action to manage health issues and in some cases we may not like the options available but as adults we learn to adapt.

Some pediatricians and other medical professionals claim that diapering an older bedwetting child or teen can hurt their self-esteem. A number of theories have been put forward about diaper use by elderly bedwetting and how it might affect their self-esteem. One theory is that the child or teen may feel that their parents are punishing them for wetting the bed. The thought behind this is that he or she may feel that their parents are using the diapers to humiliate or shame them into stopping bedwetting. Another theory is that because of the negative associations that diapers have on the majority of people, the adolescent feels embarrassed or ashamed of wearing the diapers. As previously mentioned, many people consider diapers to be “babyish” and as a result a large number of people in this age group will refuse to use diapers to cope with the problem. Finally, for some children or teenagers, diapers can serve as a constant reminder that they are still unable to control their bladder at night, which can make them feel worse about bedwetting.

While I understand the reasoning behind these theories, I believe they miss the mark. Regarding the first theory, it should be stressed to the older child or teenager that you are not putting them in diapers to punish or humiliate them, but to make them feel more comfortable at night and help them maintain healthy skin. As previously mentioned, not wearing proper protection can have a negative impact on a person’s skin, as lying all night in wet sheets and clothing only exposes more areas of skin to the ill effects of urine) as well as eliminating or reducing the amount of wet Laundry that needs care. Another reason to wear diapers to bed is to get rid of the odor that can come from nighttime accidents. In an article titled “Pediatric Nocturnal Enuresis (Bedwetting)” published on the National Association for Continence website, the “Practical Management Tips” section mentions that odors can linger in a room, even when one is concerned about wet ones Bedding and clothing will be taken care of in a prompt manner. Wearing diapers can help in this regard, and this is another point parents can raise with the child who is struggling to adjust to wearing protection to bed.

Regarding the second theory, it should be emphasized that there are people of all ages worldwide who, for various reasons, have to wear diapers either during the day, day and night or only at night. Bedwetting (and other forms of incontinence) can have many causes, including illness, injury from a car or other accident, physiological and genetic problems, psychological trauma, side effects of various medications, and many other factors. In some of these situations, wearing diapers is the best course of action.

As for the third theory, here’s how I would approach the problem if the child or teen feels the diapers are a reminder that they still haven’t gained nocturnal control. I would tell them that even if they don’t wear diapers to bed, that won’t change the fact that they wet the bed and therefore shouldn’t affect their feelings about bedwetting. Second, I would suggest that wearing a diaper to bed would give them a sense of control over the situation, and while they still feel bad about bedwetting, at least the diapers will make them feel more secure about doing it will. I don’t wake up in wet sheets. This could make them feel a little better about the problem, when without protection they should feel worse. In my opinion, waking up to wet sheets and clothes is more degrading (not to mention uncomfortable and unsanitary) than wearing diapers.

Another thing that might make the older child or teen feel more comfortable wearing protective gear is to point out that they only need to wear the diapers during the night, meaning no one but their immediate family knows that they wear them. If financially feasible, parents should consider taking the child or teen to a psychologist to address their feelings about bedwetting. Many child psychologists have experience in this area and should be able to offer therapy to help them manage bedwetting and the use of repellents to manage the problem. Over time, the therapist should be able to help them feel less ashamed of the problem by letting them know that this is a common problem, that many adults also wet their beds, and that it is not uncommon that people wear diapers to deal with this problem. Although there is a huge stigma associated with older bedwetters who wear diapers, it’s actually more common than people think. For some people (perhaps a large number), the convenience of using diapers to cope with the problem outweighs the embarrassment of wearing them. Because when you need them, you need them. This is another good point for a therapist to discuss during a therapy designed to help the older child or teen (or adult struggling with bedwetting) – adjust to diaper use to coping with the problem as well as other negative feelings of bedwetting may experience.

Parents might also consider implementing some sort of reward system to motivate the older child or teen to wear diapers to bed. For example, the parents could set up a system where the bedwetter earns a certain number of points or gold stars every time he wears the diapers at night. They can then redeem those points at a specific time to buy a gift they’re interested in, such as a gift. B. a video game, or something else they might like. The more nights they wear the diapers to bed, the more points they earn. The parents could also offer to increase their pocket money by a certain amount or let the youngster earn a certain amount of money. The same idea applies here – the more nights they wear the diapers, the more money they can make. That’s just an idea I have. Parents who have a bedwetting child or a teen who is embarrassed to wear diapers might want to experiment with this idea to see if it works.

As mentioned earlier, there are cases of people who suffer from this problem throughout their lives, although many people can be cured of their bedwetting with alarms, medication, or other methods. What many people may not realize is that there are a significant number of adults who wet their beds. In these cases, it would be wise to wear diapers to bed to maintain hygiene, stay dry and comfortable, and minimize cleaning (it’s a hassle to take care of wet laundry because it’s so time-consuming). Additionally, it would be advisable for the adult to wear diapers to bed if he or she has a significant other to keep their partner dry. Wearing diapers at night shows that the bedwetter is considerate of their partner.

Regarding this topic, one of the main things that has puzzled me is why the public and most medical professionals don’t have a problem with babies, the elderly, children with special needs, people with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Wear diapers with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, Huntington’s disease, or other medical conditions? However, they feel that older children, teenagers or adults who have wet the bed are too old to wear them. We have a double standard when it comes to our opinion of who should use diapers. I firmly believe that diapers should be viewed no differently than other forms of medical devices used to treat various health conditions, similar to glasses, inhalers for asthma, wheelchairs and other medical devices. With this in mind, I contend that our attitude towards using diapers to treat bedwetting in older children, teenagers and adults is misguided. Also, adult bedwetting seems to be more stigmatized than other forms of incontinence, which doesn’t make sense to me either.

One of the ideas that could help remove the stigma in this area (from my Wiki How article How to Reduce the Stigma of Older Children, Teenagers, and Adults Wearing Diapers for Bedwetting) is changing the definition of a diaper. Most dictionary definitions define diapers as a garment worn exclusively by babies. If I were responsible for writing the dictionary definition of a diaper, I would say something along these lines: “An absorbent, waterproof, protective undergarment made of disposable or reusable material, drawn between the legs and cinched at the waist Adhesive tape is attached using tabs, safety pins, or other methods. It is designed to treat episodes of incontinence experienced by people of all ages including babies, toddlers pre-potty training and adults, as well as providing protection for people who wet the bed.” I think that describes the situation better and also has the potential for older children, teenagers, but also adults to be less shy about wearing protection. Hopefully this article will get people to re-evaluate their opinion on the subject.•

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Colin Ellison (pseudonym of the author) is 47 years old and works in special education as a student assistant. He suffered from night wetting as a child and had occasional bouts of bedwetting as an adult. He primarily uses adult-sized clip-on cloth diapers covered with a pair of adult-sized plastic pants, but sometimes uses adult-sized disposable diapers with tabs. He is currently in college, part-time, studying Homeland Security. His interests are collecting records and reading.

Tips for dealing with bedwetting

The author has a blog titled Tips for Dealing with Bedwetting, which lists several brands of pin-on style cloth diapers, plastic pants, and tape-tape disposable diapers that are suitable for older children, teens, and adults who also use the bed wet places that sell these diapers. The address of the blog is: www.tipsonmanagingbedwetting.blogspot.com

The leap from wearing diapers to going to the toilet is a major childhood milestone. Most children will complete toilet training and be ready to stop using diapers between the ages of 18 and 30 months, but this is certainly not the case for all children. Some children are not completely out of diapers until after the age of 4.

A child’s developmental readiness plays a big part in determining the age at which they can stop using diapers, but also how their caregivers approach potty training. Learn about some of the factors that can impact the age at which a child is finally ready to stop using diapers.

Understand development readiness

Because every child develops at their own pace, the age at which a child stops using diapers can vary greatly. Some research suggests that potty training too early or too late in a child’s life can cause regression or delay, but timing is different for each child.

Although studies show that the majority of children are physically and emotionally ready to begin toilet training sometime between the ages of 18 and 24 months, age is not the only factor to consider when deciding which whether it is actually the right time to take off diapers.

To know if it’s time to stop using diapers and start toilet training, look for signs of readiness in your child, including:

The ability to follow simple instructions

Stay dry for two hours at a time

Show interest in using the potty

The ability to sit on a potty chair

Ask to change soiled diapers

Regular bowel movements

Show an interest in wearing underwear

get rid of diapers

Sometimes potty training setbacks and failures have less to do with a child’s ability or willingness and more to do with your own actions as a parent. Whether or not a child has access to diapers can affect how long it takes them to actually stop using diapers and using the toilet.

Regardless of age, wearing diapers can signal to your child that you don’t take potty training that seriously and don’t really expect them to use the potty. As long as diapers are still available, your child knows there is an opportunity to continue using them. Being familiar with the use of diapers and unfamiliar with the toilet, children often choose this route.

The problem gets worse when your child asks to use their nappies, because then it’s up to you as a parent to decide whether or not to comply with that request. Not giving up could lead to tantrums, but passing the diaper could cause further potty training delays.

Keeping diapers out of your child’s sight can help solve this problem. If you think your child is really ready to get down on diapers, keep them in a place where your child cannot see or access them.

Use of training pants

Although they’re a popular way to ease the transition from diapers to regular underwear, using disposable training pants like pull-ups can hinder potty training progress for some children and make them want to wear diapers well into old age , in which they are developmentally ready to stop.

For a child who likes to wear diapers despite having already demonstrated potty use, using disposable training pants is a bit like going from the frying pan to the fire. Disposable training pants are not as absorbent as diapers, so while they can provide your child with a place other than the toilet, cleaning up afterwards can be more difficult than with diapers.

Nighttime potty training can take much longer than daytime potty training. According to the AAP, occasional bedwetting occurs in 20% of 5-year-olds and 10% of 7-year-olds. It’s not uncommon for children to wear diapers or sweatpants well into elementary school, as their bladders are still developing the ability to hold urine long distances. Heavy sleepers may also take longer to learn how to wake up at night to go to the bathroom.

If you use disposable sweatpants at night or during naps, try to use them only then and follow this rule. As soon as your child wakes up, let them use the potty and put on underwear. Just like with diapers, be sure to place disposable training pants where your child cannot access them.

Treating delays in potty training

Even if you remove diapers from the equation, it may still be some time before your child gets the hang of going to the bathroom. If your child, despite their developmental readiness, still refuses to stop using diapers, it’s worth digging deeper to see what’s going on.

potty training method

Evaluate whether the potty training method you are using is appropriate for your child. Every child learns differently, so it’s possible that a different type of potty training could lead to success. Some kids do better with a crash course, while others need rewards and lots of positive reinforcement.

fears

If your child seems afraid of the toilet or afraid to use a potty, they may be particularly unruly when it comes time to stop using diapers. Talk to your child about their fears and reassure them that going to the bathroom is a normal part of growing up. If the problem persists, talk to your pediatrician to see if additional professional intervention is needed to address the root of your child’s anxiety.

medical problems

Despite your best efforts, there may be times when your child has a medical issue that is preventing them from going to the bathroom. Talk to your child’s pediatrician to see if physical issues like low bladder capacity, lack of muscle control, pain from constipation, or frequent UTIs could be contributing to their potty problems.

A word from Verywell

You may get frustrated if it takes a while for your child to be fully potty trained, but just know that over time they will get the hang of it and eventually stop using diapers. Accidents will happen, however, so take a deep breath, expect it to get messy, and jump in with both feet (and plenty of paper towels and laundry detergent).

Potty training varies by culture. In some cultures their children are potty trained from 1-2 years old, but it takes a lot of work and continuous effort. Americans have traditionally allowed their children to exercise at their own pace, and some boys have had a particularly hard time. Most boys and girls will be exercising on their own by age 3 with parental encouragement. However, some boys can be very resistant to training and this is not uncommon. Some don’t train until they are 3 1/2 years old and some as late as 4 years old. So, yes, it’s not uncommon for boys as young as 3 to still be in diapers. If it comes to a confrontation with your son about this topic, you probably won’t get very far. It’s a game of wills… yours against his. He CAN train, but he doesn’t want to, so you have to give him an incentive. I tell my patients to tell a child like yours to express your deep sadness (not anger) and say, “Oh… I’m so disappointed that you’re still acting like a baby. You can even pretend to cry Right, then act EXTREMELY EXCITED and praise him to high heaven. Also, you can bribe your son one time by going to any supermarket and buying a bag of toy cars or something he wants really likes, even candy, and then puts the prize items high up on a shelf where he can see them but can’t get them. Keep telling him he’ll get a treat if he poops in the potty! BIG BOY and not a little baby because BIG BOYS can do special things like go for ice cream or choose a toy in a store but BABIES can’t do such things.

Much luck!

This article was medically reviewed by Jennifer Boidy, RN. Jennifer Boidy is a Maryland Registered Nurse. She received her Associate of Science in Nursing from Carroll Community College in 2012. This article has been viewed 303,389 times.

Article overview

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To encourage older children and teens to wear bedwetting diapers, it’s important to listen to your child’s concerns, as they may feel embarrassed or embarrassed. You can try to reassure them that this is a common problem and that the only people who know about it are their family. Also, make sure they know you’re not putting them in diapers to humiliate them and that you’re trying to help. It can also be helpful to let them diaper themselves when they are old enough, as their independence can ease some of their embarrassment. Read on for more tips from our medical co-author, including how to pinpoint the cause of your child’s bedwetting!

Bedwetting Report Frequently Asked Questions By Dr. Anthony Page Ph.D.

As a clinical psychologist, I have been treating bedwetting for over 30 years. I have compiled this report for you from medical research and from my experience treating thousands of bed wetters.

There’s a lot of information in this report, but it’s here for parents who care about their child’s bedwetting and want to know everything before deciding what to do next.

How common is bedwetting? It’s not a new problem, in fact there is research on bedwetting going back at least 50 years showing that between 10% and 20% of children around the age of five wet their bed at night and even by the age of 19 the figure is 2 % still wetting. So bedwetting is a problem for about every seventh child between the ages of 5 and 18.

Bedwetting can be a nagging problem, but there’s a lot you can do about it. But first, let’s look at the facts about bedwetting.

Why do children wet the bed? First of all, most parents of bedwetters say their child sleeps a lot. That’s absolutely true, but just to confuse things, that’s what a lot of kids who don’t wet the bed do.

Second, they also say that their bedwetting child will soak their pajamas and bed when they get wet, and from this they conclude that they need to limit their child’s drinking. Well, it’s certainly true that bedwetting kids produce a lot of urine at night, but it’s not because they drink too much before bed.

Third, some parents recall that bedwetting was a problem for them when they were young.

It basically boils down to this: children who wet the bed sleep heavily, they produce large amounts of urine at night, and the problem runs in families. It is a combination of all three factors that lead to a bedwetting problem.

Let’s go backwards and start with genetics first. It is known that if a parent wets the bed, there is a 40% chance that the child will wet the bed. If both parents were bedwetters, the probability is 70%. So it’s in the genes.

Then there is the problem of producing far too much urine at night. This is due to a certain hormone that the brain produces at night. This hormone has the task of reducing urine production and so we can sleep through most of the night or maybe get up once. Bedwetting children produce too little of this hormone, so they continue to produce urine at the same rate as when they are awake. The result is that they have to empty their bladder two and sometimes three times during the night, and every time they walk they have to pass a large amount of urine.

Combine these two traits with heavy sleep and you have a classic bedwetter.

Is there something physically wrong with my child? It’s unlikely. Only about 2% of children who wet the bed have a physical condition like cystitis or diabetes, but it’s still a good idea to have your doctor give your child a physical exam to be sure.

Some parents think their child’s bladder must be too small, but that’s not very often the case. However, if your child uses the toilet frequently during the day and only urinates small amounts, a small bladder is a possibility. If you suspect this is the case, check back with your doctor and bladder stretching exercises may be needed. However, if this is the case, this is usually just the first step in the treatment process, the underlying problem of heavy sleep and producing too much urine is likely still present.

You have to be careful if a child has been dry all night for a number of years and then starts to wet the bed. This is when there could be a medical cause or perhaps an emotional upset. This must also be clarified with your doctor. This type of bedwetting is called “secondary” bedwetting because it is secondary to another problem.

But as I mentioned above, probably only 2% of bedwetters have a medical or emotional issue, 98% have genetic issues.

What can you do about it? A simple strategy many parents use is to have their child wear diapers to avoid having to deal with wet sheets, plastic mattress covers, etc. But there are hidden problems with it. At the most recent meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics in November 2003, about 300 pediatricians and nurses were asked about the use of diapers for bedwetting at a seminar on bedwetting. 85% expressed concern that wearing diapers “sends the wrong message” that it’s okay to get wet at night and not to get up and go to the bathroom. They believe that using diapers can actually prolong the bedwetting problem. When children were surveyed, it’s not surprising that many of them say they’d rather wear a diaper and not have to worry about going to the bathroom at night.

Some doctors are also concerned that children become so used to wearing diapers that wearing them becomes almost a comfort, and this can continue into the teenage years and even adult life.

A more serious concern is also raised in the October 2000 issue of the Archives of Diseases in Childhood. The concern is that using plastic-lined diapers in boys can raise the temperature of the scrotum and testicles to the same temperature as core body temperature. The testicles are outside the body and are usually a few degrees cooler than the body’s internal temperature, and they should be. So if they are at the same temperature as the body’s internal temperature, they are considered to pose a risk of reduced fertility. However, the concern is not a certainty and only time will tell to what extent this concern is justified.

This puts the parents in a dilemma. On the one hand, wearing diapers can prolong bedwetting and can be dangerous, especially for boys, but on the other hand, if nothing is done about the problem, parents endure a wet bed, sometimes more than once a night, and have piles of laundry to do the next day. It’s no wonder that bedwetting causes a lot of stress for the whole household.

It then appears that it is preferable not to use diapers on your bedwetting child, but if you do, it should only be short term and you should actively work with your child to teach him or her to learn to wake up up to go to the toilet.

Are there quick fixes? In a word “no”.

As you can see from the previous discussion, bedwetting is a complex problem that involves genetics, heavy sleep, and overproduction of urine. It would be nice if there was a quick cure for all of this, but there isn’t.

Pills are sometimes used, but be warned, the one commonly used in the past (imipramine) is an antidepressant and is used to treat depression in adults. While this in small amounts could help some children stop bedwetting, it has been found that the majority return to bedwetting after stopping the medication. The word of warning is that it is extremely toxic in high doses, and a report by Dr. Schmitt, a pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said that there is “…serious doubt that these drugs should even be prescribed for any child.” Not only that, it has recently been revealed that that adult antidepressants should not be prescribed for children at all, even for depression.

Another drug, desmopressin, is a synthetic hormone that helps reduce the amount of urine a child produces when they sleep. At first glance, it looks like a very useful alternative as it stops bedwetting for some users. The problem is that the majority of children wet the bed again after they stop using it, and it’s very expensive, $60 to $120 a month. Like all medications, it has side effects, in this case headaches and stomach aches, and it can upset the balance of body fluids. This last side effect is the most concerning as it can lead to a buildup of fluid in the brain if a child drinks while taking the drug, and this buildup has been found to lead to mental confusion or even epileptic seizures.

It is more of a mystery that this drug is recommended by some doctors for a child to take for a short time, e.g. B. when going to a school camp when it is extremely important that the child is carefully monitored after taking the drug to ensure that he or she does not drink too much. It is unlikely that the right kind of care will take place in a school camp. Some doctors even say that you should take your child back to the doctor once you start taking it, another indication that this is a drug not to be trifled with. This also includes another visit to the doctor and additional costs.

What about the limit on drinks? It’s tempting to think that if the child produces too much urine during the night, the simple answer is to cut down on drinks from the late afternoon onwards. In fact, it doesn’t do any good, the bedwetter’s brain faithfully sends out the message to produce too much urine anyway. It can be useful to avoid caffeinated and sugary beverages, which can interfere with urine production, but basically messing around with fluid intake makes little difference. In addition, it is important to keep your child’s fluid intake at the right level, as the body, and especially the brain, needs plenty of water to function properly.

How about setting an alarm or waking up the child at night? Using an alarm clock, or alternatively having the parent get up to take the child to the bathroom at night, can reduce the number of wet beds, but it does not teach the child to wake up on their own. Parents also repeatedly report that the alarm clock did not wake the child anyway.

Does it make sense to practice before bed? Waking up with the need to void your bladder and go to the bathroom should be part of any bedwetting treatment program. This includes having the child practice just before bedtime by lying down on the bed and saying out loud, using the words most appropriate for your child: “My bladder is getting full, I have to get up and go to the bathroom to fix it.” Then have your child get up and run to the bathroom and pretend to urinate by standing in front of the toilet bowl or sitting on the toilet seat for a few moments. Then, repeat this at least five times to get the idea stuck in your child’s mind as they fall asleep. As you may have noticed, if you tell yourself you want to get up at a certain time and set an alarm, quite often you will wake up at that precise time, or before the alarm actually goes off.

Why not just let a child outgrow it? A percentage of bedwetting stop wetting the bed each year, and therefore bedwetting in each age group gradually decreases until it is around 2% to 3% by age 19.

Therefore, you may just decide to wait until your child outgrows bedwetting, and is there a problem with that? As with so much about bedwetting, the answer isn’t necessarily simple. Because if you continue to use diapers for your child, especially boys, there is a risk that overheating will damage the testicles. Using diapers can also prolong the problem of bedwetting as it is just too easy for a child to go to sleep without worrying about bedwetting. When you’re not using diapers, there’s the constant problem of dealing with wet beds every day. But perhaps most important is the negative impact it has on your child’s self-esteem and the way that low self-esteem can affect almost every area of ​​a child’s life. After all, there is no reliable way to accurately guess when your child will quit. Waiting is therefore not a recommended option.

In summary, the vast majority of bedwetting is genetic, with heavy sleep and a tendency to produce too much urine at night being part of this pattern. If the child has to wake up to go to the bathroom, they are too sound asleep for the full bladder to wake them up.

As the years go by, more and more children become dry at night, but there is no way to predict when any particular child will become dry and in the meantime, limiting drinking is not recommended, nor should diapers be used, as at least they will prolongs the problem and in the worst case can damage a boy’s testicles.

While there are pills that can help, they are expensive and for most children they only work while the pill is being taken. Furthermore, the side effects mean that these should only be used with caution and good supervision.

An approach that research shows works: That being said, there is one method that research shows is the only effective way to treat bedwetting long-term.

This utilizes a specific learning process that is the basis for much of the daily learning that happens for us. let me explain. The gym I go to has a small coffee shop that I have to walk past when I go to the weights area. No matter what time of day, when I smell the fresh muffins and coffee, I’m instantly hungry and it’s an act of will to keep going! You may also have noticed that when you see McDonald’s golden arches, you get hungry. This is a classic case of conditioned learning, those golden arches or the smell of fresh muffins and coffee are associated with hunger, and so the sight or smell of them can trigger hunger.

This principle was discovered by Pavlov in the early 1900s when he observed that when a strong stimulus is associated with a fairly neutral one, after some time the neutral one acquires the same power as the strong one. In the case of Pavlov, he discovered that placing food in a dog’s mouth was a powerful stimulus that triggered saliva production. He then experimented with ringing a bell each time he gave the dog food, and over time found that simply ringing the bell produced saliva, as if the dog had food in its mouth.

We are constantly affected by this type of learning, and most of the time we are completely unaware that the learning has just happened. No thinking is required, you just have to be there for the strong and neutral stimuli to occur together and the connection to be made.

It is this principle that is believed to form the basis of the most effective bedwetting treatment available. Here we have the full bladder stimulus that should trigger awakening, but it doesn’t. However, the sound of a loud noise can trigger waking, and so the trick is to pair the full bladder and the loud noise so that over time the full bladder takes over the waking, just like the loud noise does.

This is where the bedwetting treatment alarm comes in. We have an alarm that has a moisture sensor attached that goes into the bedwetter’s pants and as soon as the bedwetter starts to urinate the alarm will go off with a loud noise. Now everyone says: “What’s the point, it’s too late.” But remember, the principle of Pavlovian conditioning states that when a strong stimulus and a neutral (or ineffective) stimulus are paired together, over time the ineffective or neutral stimulus becomes just as effective as the strong stimulus. The fact that the alarm went off after the bedwetting started doesn’t matter. The brain can even connect backwards, and so it connects waking up to the alarm and feeling what happened in the bladder. Over time, the sensation in the bladder will naturally become as strong as the loud banging of the alarm clock to wake the bedwetter.

The fact is that this has been known for at least 50 years and therefore 50 years of research backs it up, a bedwetting alarm is the most effective way to treat bedwetting long term.

Is it really that easy? Most of the time yes. But remember, we are dealing with a child, and not all children function exactly by the rules. For this reason, it is important that you involve a professional in the process to turn to when using the bedwetting alarm.

So what are you doing now? Research shows that the only reliable way to treat bedwetting is to use a bedwetting alarm.

Most of the time, the treatment is pretty straight forward. Children who wet several times a night will wet less often, then after a week or two (but the time is very variable) your child will wake up faster and faster when the alarm goes off; You’ll find less wetting because the alarm allows your child to stop the flow of urine. Step by step your child will wake up faster until they wake up continuously without needing the alarm clock. It usually takes six to eight weeks to reach this stage, but this can vary on either side.

The last step is spontaneous, after a few weeks your child will be sleeping most of the night without having to wake up to go to the toilet. Of course, just like the adult pattern, there will be times when it’s necessary to wake up to go to the bathroom.

Some children will relapse and when that happens the technique is to use the alarm again and then use a relapse prevention approach as well. The relapse prevention technique is simply to use the alarm until the criterion of 14 consecutive dry nights is reached, and then have the child drink a glass of water before bed so that within an hour or two they must use the bath. This will wake you up or trigger the alarm. Either way, your child will get more training to wake up. This will continue for 7 nights and then the extra drinking will be stopped and the alarm continued to be posted each night until 14 consecutive dry nights are achieved.

Scientific references used in this report

Baller, W.R. Bed-Wetting: Origins and Treatment, 1975, Pergamon, New York.

Black, Dora. Psychotropic drugs for problem children. British Medical Journal, 1991; 302:190-191.

Forsythe, W.I. and Butler, R.J. Fifty Years of Enuretic Alarms. Archives of Diseases of Childhood, 1989; 64:879-885

Grellis, S.S. et al. Current Pediatric Therapy, 1976, Vol. 17. B. Saunders, Philadelphia.

Glazener, C.M.A., et al. Alarm interventions for nocturnal enuresis in children (review). The Cochran Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Edition 2.

Hjalmas, Kelm. GP Weekly News, 1994, March 23. Bedwetting at night is in the genes.

Houts, Arthur C., Berman, Jeffrey S., and Abramson, Hillel. Efficacy of psychological and pharmacological treatments for nocturnal enuresis. Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 29:21.

Lister-Sharp, D. et al. A systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis in childhood. NHS Center for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York, 1997.

Partsch M, Aukamp M, Sippelll WG. Scrotal Temperature Is Raised In Disposable Plastic Lined Nappies. Bow. Dis Kind, 2000; 83: 364-368.

Rauber, Albert and Maroncelli, Regina. Prescribing practice and knowledge of tricyclic antidepressants among physicians caring for children. Pediatrics, 1984; 73: 107-109. 1994; 62:737-745.

Schirky, H.C. Pediatric Therapy, 1980, 6th ed. Mosby, St. Louis, Missouri.

Schmitt, B.D. Nocturnal enuresis: an update on treatment. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 1982; Steele, Brian T. Nocturnal Enuresis: Treatment Options. Canadian General Practitioner, 1993; 39:877-880.

Wille, S. Comparison of desmopressin and enuresis alert for enuresis. Archives of Diseases of Childhood, 1989; 61:715-726.

Back to Enuresis Alert Page As a clinical psychologist, I have been treating bedwetting for over 30 years. I have compiled this report for you from medical research and my experience treating thousands of bed wetters. There’s a lot of information in this report, but it’s here for parents who care about their child’s bedwetting and want to know everything before deciding what to do next. It’s not a new problem, in fact there is research on bedwetting going back at least 50 years showing that between 10% and 20% of children around the age of five get wet in their beds at night, and even by the age of 19 they are there is another 2% who still wet themselves. So bedwetting is a problem for about one in seven children between the ages of 5 and 18. Bedwetting can be a nagging problem, but there is a lot that can be done about it. But first, let’s look at the facts about bedwetting. First of all, most parents of bedwetters say their child sleeps a lot. That’s absolutely true, but just to confuse things, that’s what a lot of kids who don’t wet the bed do. Second, they also say that their bedwetting child will soak their pajamas and bed when they wet, and from this they conclude that they need to cut their child’s drinking down. Well, it’s certainly true that bedwetting kids produce a lot of urine at night, but it’s not because they drink too much before bed. Third, some parents remember that bedwetting was a problem for them when they were young. It basically boils down to this: children who wet the bed sleep heavily, they produce large amounts of urine at night, and the problem runs in families. It is a combination of all three factors that lead to a bedwetting problem. Let’s go backwards and start with genetics first. It is known that if a parent wets the bed, there is a 40% chance that the child will wet the bed. If both parents were bedwetters, the probability is 70%. So it’s in the genes. Then there is the problem of producing way too much urine at night. This is due to a certain hormone that the brain produces at night. This hormone has the task of reducing urine production and so we can sleep through most of the night or maybe get up once. Bedwetting children produce too little of this hormone, so they continue to produce urine at the same rate as when they are awake. The result is that they have to void their bladder two and sometimes three times during the night, and each time they walk they pass out a large amount of urine. Combine these two traits with heavy sleep and you have classic bedwetting. Unlikely. Only about 2% of children who wet the bed have a physical condition like cystitis or diabetes, but it’s still a good idea to have your doctor give your child a physical exam, just to be sure. Some parents think that their child’s bladder must be undersized, but that’s not very often the case. However, if your child uses the toilet frequently during the day and only urinates small amounts, a small bladder is a possibility. If you suspect this is the case, check back with your doctor and bladder stretching exercises may be needed. However, if this is the case, this is usually just the first step in the treatment process. The underlying problem of heavy sleeping and producing too much urine is likely still there. The situation to watch out for is when a child has previously had dry nights consistently for a number of years and then begins to wet the bed. This is when there could be a medical cause or perhaps an emotional upset. This must also be clarified with your doctor. This type of bedwetting is called “secondary” bedwetting because it is secondary to another problem. will have the genetic type. A simple strategy many parents use is to have their child wear diapers to avoid having to deal with wet sheets, plastic mattress covers, etc. But there are hidden problems with it. At the most recent meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics in November 2003, about 300 pediatricians and nurses were asked about the use of diapers for bedwetting at a seminar on bedwetting. 85% expressed concern that wearing diapers “sends the wrong message” that it’s okay to get wet at night and not to get up and go to the bathroom. They believe that using diapers can actually prolong the bedwetting problem. When children were surveyed, it’s not surprising that many of them say they’d rather wear a diaper and not have to worry about getting up at night to go to the bathroom. Some doctors are also concerned that children become so used to wearing diapers that wearing them almost becomes a comfort, and this can continue into the teenage years and even adult life. A more serious concern is also raised in the October 2000 issue of the Archives of Diseases in Childhood. The concern is that using plastic-lined diapers in boys can raise the temperature of the scrotum and testicles to the same temperature as core body temperature. The testicles are outside the body and are usually a few degrees cooler than the body’s internal temperature, and they should be. So if they are at the same temperature as the body’s internal temperature, they are considered to pose a risk of reduced fertility. However, the concern is not a certainty and only time will tell to what extent this concern is justified. This puts parents in a dilemma. On the one hand, wearing diapers can prolong bedwetting and can be dangerous, especially for boys, but on the other hand, if nothing is done about the problem, parents endure a wet bed, sometimes more than once a night, and have piles of laundry to do the next day. Is it any wonder that bedwetting causes a lot of stress for the whole household? So it seems that it is preferable not to wear diapers when your child is wetting the bed, but if you do then it should only be short-term and you should actively work with your child to teach him or her to wake up to go to the bathroom to go. In a word, as you can see from the previous discussion, bedwetting is a complex issue involving genetics, heavy sleep, and overproduction of urine. It would be nice if there was a quick cure for all of this, but there isn’t. Pills are sometimes used, but be warned, the drug that was commonly used in the past (imipramine) is an antidepressant and is used to treat depression in adults. While this in small amounts could help some children stop bedwetting, it has been found that the majority return to bedwetting after stopping the medication. The word of warning is that it is extremely toxic in high doses, and a report by Dr. Schmitt, a pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said that there is “…serious doubt that these drugs should even be prescribed for any child.” Not only that, it has recently been revealed that that adult antidepressants should not be prescribed at all for children, even for depression.Another drug, desmopressin, is a synthetic hormone that helps reduce the amount of urine a child produces when they are asleep.First Looks turns it out to be a very useful alternative as it stops bedwetting for some users.The problem is that the majority of children wet the bed again after they stop using it and it is very expensive, 60 to 120 dollars per month . Wie alle Medikamente hat es Nebenwirkungen, in diesem Fall Kopf- und Bauchschmerzen, und es kann das Gleichgewicht der Körperflüssigkeiten beeinträchtigen. Diese let zte Nebenwirkung ist die besorgniserregendste, da sie zu einer Ansammlung von Flüssigkeit im Gehirn führen kann, wenn ein Kind während der Einnahme des Medikaments trinkt, und es wurde festgestellt, dass diese Ansammlung zu geistiger Verwirrung oder sogar zu epileptischen Krämpfen führt. Es ist eher ein Rätsel, dass dieses Medikament von einigen Ärzten für ein Kind zur kurzfristigen Einnahme empfohlen wird, z. B. wenn es in ein Schullager geht, wenn es äußerst wichtig ist, dass das Kind nach der Einnahme des Medikaments sorgfältig überwacht wird, um dies sicherzustellen er oder sie trinkt nicht zu viel. Es ist unwahrscheinlich, dass in einem Schullager die richtige Art von Betreuung stattfinden wird. Manche Ärzte sagen sogar, dass man das Kind nach Beginn der Einnahme noch einmal zum Arzt bringen sollte, ein weiterer Hinweis darauf, dass es sich um ein Medikament handelt, mit dem nicht zu spaßen ist. Dies ist auch mit einem weiteren Arztbesuch und zusätzlichen Kosten verbunden. Wenn das Kind nachts zu viel Urin produziert, ist die einfache Antwort, ab dem späten Nachmittag weniger zu trinken. Tatsächlich bringt das nichts, das Gehirn des Bettnässers sendet treu die Botschaft aus, trotzdem zu viel Urin zu produzieren. Es kann nützlich sein, koffein- und zuckerhaltige Getränke zu vermeiden, die die Urinproduktion beeinträchtigen können, aber im Grunde macht es wenig Unterschied, an der Flüssigkeitsaufnahme herumzuspielen. Darüber hinaus ist es wichtig, dass die Flüssigkeitsaufnahme Ihres Kindes auf dem richtigen Niveau gehalten wird, da der Körper und insbesondere das Gehirn viel Wasser benötigen, um richtig zu funktionieren Kind während der Nacht auf die Toilette zu gehen, kann die Anzahl der nassen Betten reduzieren, aber es bringt dem Kind nicht bei, alleine aufzuwachen. Es wird auch häufig von Eltern berichtet, dass der Wecker das Kind sowieso nicht geweckt hat. Das Aufwachen mit der Notwendigkeit, die Blase zu entleeren und auf die Toilette zu gehen, sollte ein Teil jedes Bettnässen-Behandlungsprogramms sein. Dazu gehört, dass das Kind kurz vor dem Zubettgehen übt, indem es sich ins Bett legt und laut sagt, wobei es die für Ihr Kind am besten geeigneten Worte verwendet: „Meine Blase wird voll, ich muss aufstehen und gehen ins Badezimmer, um es zu leeren.“ Dann sollte Ihr Kind aufstehen und ins Badezimmer rennen und so tun, als würde es Urin lassen, indem es sich vor die Toilettenschüssel stellt oder für einige Momente auf dem Toilettensitz sitzt. Wiederholen Sie dies dann mindestens fünf Mal, damit sich die Idee beim Einschlafen in den Kopf Ihres Kindes einprägt. Wie Sie vielleicht festgestellt haben, werden Sie, wenn Sie sich sagen, dass Sie zu einer bestimmten Zeit aufstehen möchten, und einen Wecker stellen, ziemlich oft genau zu dieser Zeit oder bevor der Wecker tatsächlich klingelt, aufwachen. Ein Prozentsatz von Bettnässer hören jedes Jahr auf, ins Bett zu nässen, und deshalb nimmt die Zahl der Bettnässer in jeder Altersgruppe allmählich ab, bis es im Alter von 19 Jahren etwa 2% bis 3% sind. Sie können sich also entscheiden, einfach zu warten bis Ihr Kind aus dem Bettnässen herauswächst, und gibt es irgendein Problem damit? Wie bei so vielem, was mit Bettnässen zu tun hat, ist die Antwort nicht unbedingt einfach. Because, if you are continuing to use diapers for your child, especially for boys, this carries a risk that overheating the testicles may cause damage. The use of diapers can also prolong the problem of bed-wetting, because it is just too easy for a child to go to sleep with no concern about wetting the bed. If you do not use diapers, then there is the ongoing issue of dealing with wet beds every day. But probably most important, there is the negative effect on you child’s self-esteem, and the way in which low self-esteem can affect almost all areas of the child’s life. Finally, there is no reliable way to guess just when your child will stop. So just waiting is not a recommended option.The vast majority of bed-wetting is caused by genetics, with heavy sleeping, and a tendency to produce too much urine at night being part of that pattern. When the child needs to wake to go to the bathroom, he or she is too heavily asleep for the full bladder to wake him or her up.Gradually as the years pass more children become dry at night, but there is no means of predicting when any particular child will become dry, and in the meantime it is not advised to limit drinks, nor should diapers be used because at the very least it prolongs the problem, and at worst it may damage a boy’s testicles.While there are pills that can help, they are expensive, and in the majority of children they work only while the pill is being taken. More than that, the side-effects mean that these should be used only with caution and good supervision.Having said all of that, there is a method which research shows is the only effective method of treating bed-wetting long term.This uses a particular learning process which is the foundation of much of the day-to-day learning which happens for us. let me explain. The gym I go to has a small caf� I have to pass as I go to the weights area. It does not matter what time of the day it is, as I smell the fresh muffins and coffee, I instantly feel hungry and it is an act of will for me to keep walking past! Perhaps you have also noticed that when you see the McDonald’s golden arches that you feel hungry. This is a classic case of conditioned learning, those golden arches, or the smell of fresh muffins and coffee, are associated with feeling hungry, and so the sight or smell of them can trigger the hunger feeling.This principle was discovered by Pavlov in the early 1900s, when he found that if one powerful stimulus is associated with one which is quite neutral, after a time the neutral one acquires the same power as the powerful one. In Pavlov’s case he discovered that putting food in a dog’s mouth was a powerful stimulus triggering the production of saliva. He then experimented with ringing a bell each time he gave the dog some food, and after a time he found that simply ringing the bell would produce saliva, just as if the dog had food in its mouth.We are affected by this kind of learning all the time, and mostly we are completely unaware that learning has just happened. It does not require any thinking, you just have to be there, for the powerful and neutral stimuli to occur together, and the link is made.It is this principle which is thought to lie at the basis of the most effective treatment of bed-wetting that there is. Here we have stimulus of a full bladder which should trigger waking, but it does not. However, the sound of a loud noise can trigger waking, and so the trick is to pair up the full bladder and the loud noise, so that in time the full bladder will do the waking, just like the loud noise does.This is where the bed-wetting treatment alarm comes in. We have an alarm which has a moisture sensor connected to it which goes in the pants of the bed-wetter, and the instant the bed-wetter starts to urinate, then the alarm is triggered making a loud noise. Now, everyone says, “what’s the point of that, it’s too late.” But remember, the principle of Pavlovian conditioning, says that when a powerful stimulus and a neutral (or ineffective) stimulus are paired together, in time the ineffective or neutral stimulus becomes as effective as the powerful stimulus. The fact that the alarm was triggered after the bed-wetting starts does not matter. The brain can even connect backwards, and so it connects being woken up by the alarm and the sensation of what was happening in the bladder. In time the sensation in the bladder by itself becomes just as powerful as the loud noise from the alarm to wake the bed-wetter up.The fact is, this has been known for at least 50 years, and so there is 50 years of research to back this up, a bed-wetting alarm is the most effective way of treating bed-wetting long-term.Mostly, yes. But remember, we are dealing with a child, and not all children function exactly according to the rules. For this reason it is important to have a professional involved in the process whom you can turn to for advice as you are using the bed-wetting alarm.It is clear from research that the only reliable method for treating bed-wetting is to use a bed-wetting alarm.Mostly the treatment is quite straight-forward. Children who wet several times a night will begin to wet less often, then after a week or two (but the time is quite variable), your child will begin to wake more and more quickly as the alarm is triggered; you will notice that there will be less wetting because the alarm enables your child to stop the urine flow. Step by step your child will wake more quickly until he or she is waking consistently without the need for the alarm. To get to this stage usually takes from six to eight weeks, but can vary either side if that range.The final step occurs spontaneously, after a few weeks your child will mostly sleep through the night with no need to wake to go to the bathroom. Of course, just as with the adult pattern, there will times when waking to go to the bathroom is necessary.A few children relapse, and if that happens then the technique is to return to using the alarm again, and then also to use a relapse prevention approach. The relapse prevention technique is simply to use the alarm until the criterion of 14 consecutive dry nights is reached, and then to have the child drink a glass of water before bed, so that within an hour or two he or she will need to use the bathroom. That will result in waking or the alarm will be triggered. Either way your child receives more training to wake. This is continued for 7 nights and then the extra drink is stopped and attaching the alarm each night is continued until 14 consecutive dry nights is attained.