Be cautious when evaluating bedwetting resources
There are many sources out there about bedwetting. Unfortunately, there is also plenty of myths and misinformation about the subject, too. Make sure that you consider the following about any bedwetting resource you look at:
1) Who wrote it?
Was the author someone who knows about bedwetting?
2) Why was it written?
If something is written to convince you to buy something (an ad) you need to consider the claims more critically than if you were reading an article meant to inform rather than influence.
3) Can the facts be verified?
You should be able to look up the facts in the resource and find that other reputable bedwetting resources offer the same facts.
4) What is the publication date?
Older material may no longer be valid. New information is emerging all the time, so if you are using an old source, you are looking at information that may no longer be true.
5) Is there anything suspicious about this information?
If someone has basic facts wrong or seem to be offering a miracle cure that cures twenty illnesses, proceed with caution. Double-check the information the resource contains, at the very least.
Know what to expect
Knowing what to expect when you take your child to the doctor with a bedwetting problem can make the trip less stressful for both you and your child. The first thing that the doctor will likely ask is about the bedwetting itself.
You may also be asked whether the child can control the bladder during the day (an answer of “no” means that the problem is not bedwetting per se but a problem controlling the bladder). Parents will also be asked whether the child has experienced any stress or changes lately and what the bedwetting is like (whether it is constant, when the child wakes up, etc.).
Finally, parent history and medical history will be taken, as some medical problems cause bedwetting, as do genetics (children with two parents who were bed wetters as children have a more than 76% chance of having a problem with wetting the bed themselves). Your doctor will likely check to see whether any medication or medical treatment your child is getting may contribute to the problem.
Once your doctor has evaluated the problem through questions and answers, he or she may decide that your child’s age and medical history indicate no cause for concern and that waiting is the best solution. He or she may also order further testing.
One very common test is to determine whether the body can hold 200cc’s of fluid. To determine this, the child is asked to hold urine for as long as possible and then have whatever urine is produced measured (often this is done by having the child urinate into a container so that the urine can be measured).
If the child cannot produce 200cc’s then that is an indication that the bladder simply may not have developed enough. Doctors may also order urine or blood tests to see whether any underlying cause may be the problem.
