10 Yr Old Nephew Still Bed Wetting at Nite!

Updated on November 25, 2008
M.M. asks from Morgan Hill, CA
23 answers

My 10 yr old nephew still wets the bed at night. We do tell him to pee before going to bed and limit his fluid intake by 7pm(he sleeps at 9), but still... He does this approximately 2-4 times a week. Everyone in the family thinks its fine, but... isn't he a little to old to bed wet?

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O.G.

answers from Sacramento on

if his parents are not concerned and there is no medical problem than you should not worry he will eventually out grow it. Boys tend to wet the bed at a much later age than girls but it is never talked about. my brother was in high school by the time he stopped wetting the bed and he had been to the Dr. had test and he was fine he was just developing slower then most boys. so i would not worry about it.

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K.H.

answers from San Francisco on

He'll grow out of it. What can be done is being done. At 10 he has a good self-awareness - so 'it'll be fine' family attitude is the most healthy one to take, for everyone...One of my sons had the same concern, as do other children - it seems to rarely last past 11.

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K.B.

answers from San Francisco on

This could be a two part problem.
1) He could be so deeply asleep that he doesn't wake up.
2) The part of his brain that triggers the "I'm full" sensation in the bladder might not be functionin properly when he is not actively thinking about it.

You might want to get a second opinion with a specialist / Urologist. There could be something going on internally that you need to know about.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.S.

answers from San Francisco on

He should really be checked by a doctor. There are medical conditions that can cause this problem aside from just not waking up. I would urge his parents to talk to their pediatrician; some parents might not do this because they are embarrassed or think it is a controllable problem.
L.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.T.

answers from Stockton on

My hubby and younger brother wet the bed until they were 12.
Could be from anxiety??

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K.W.

answers from San Francisco on

I just responded to another lady and told her to go to www.nobedwetting.com. It tends to be inherited. Again view the site and call if you want and they will talk to you willingly to see if you want to do their program. It worked for my 13 year old grandson. Tell them K. Wilson recommended you call. Thanks.

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J.E.

answers from San Francisco on

No! He is not "too old" to wet the bed. My nine year old has only been dry at night for a few months. The pediatrician wasn't at all concerned because both my husband and I were late bed wetters too. He said there are things we could try if my son was afraid to go to sleepovers, but otherwise, just wait and he'd grow out of it. Sure enough, no need for medicine or bribery. He still sleeps soundly through the night and doesn't get up to go, but now his bladder is big and strong enough to hold the urine all night. (I always thought it ironic that I spent three years trying to get him to sleep through the night, and now you can't wake him up for anything!)

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K.B.

answers from Yuba City on

Don't worry about it. He doesn't do it except asleep so it is an accident. He is old enough to change sheets if necessary. He would surely NOT do it if possible. He will outgrow it. Like thumbsucking. Just mention it at each checkup/physical. I am sure the family doesn't think it is FINE but that it is best to not make a big deal out of it. You'd be surprised how many kids ahve this issue, at least nowadays they make pullups to fit them.

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L.D.

answers from Modesto on

Get a second opinion with a pediatric urologist just to be sure there is no physical problem and that he will indeed grow out of it. There is Childrens Hospital of Oakland if you are in the Bay Area, and there is a childrens hospital in Fresno (I can't remember it's name) in the central valley.

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B.R.

answers from Bakersfield on

Hi. I have a son that does the same thing, he is 9. It is not that he just doesn't want to get up and go to the bathroom. In most cases it is because his bladder has not grown to catch up with the rest of his body, or he is such a sound sleeper that he does not wake when he feels the need to "go". We have tried many different things, DDAVP nasal spray but that did not work most of the time, just recently the doctor had us try Ditropan 5mg right before he goes to bed with just a tiny bit of water and it works really well. He probably only has 1-2 accidents in a several week span. Also I have found that my son cannot drink caffeine, as it makes him have to "go" several times in a very short time span, we are talking 3-4 times within 30 min. Another thing I have found is if he gets cold in the middle of the night (before we started the ditropan) he would have an accident, I found the caffeine and being cold to be very common among what I read from other parents about this. There is also Hylands bedwetting pills that disolve under the tongue, you can find them at your local healthfood store for about $6. I'm sure his parents are well aware his bedwetting and if they don't yet know about the ditropan (we just found out about it 2months ago) you might want to gently suggest it, but I would refrain from any comments about their son being too old to wet the bed. He can't help it and making him feel bad about it just makes it worse. So no caffeine, no fan at night - keep him warm, try Hyland's bedwetting disolving pills, DDAVP nasal spray, or Ditropan. The Ditropan worked best for us but every child is different. Good Luck!

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T.H.

answers from San Francisco on

He will out grow this. He has an immature bladder or he is a very heavy sleeper. His father or mother probably had the same problem- it has a genetic component. The best thing is to treat it in a matter of fact way - no shaming - he doesn't have control. Explain that many other people have this problem,and he'll grow out of it.If it is bothering him a lot, you can talk to his pediatrician to be sure there is nothing structurally wrong, then ask about a bell and pad system - it is a behavioral way to treat this. Medications don't help that much.
I'm a child psychiatrist with an 18 and 11 year old. Both kids had a similar problem and are fine.

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N.P.

answers from Modesto on

Hi M.,

I've read it can be absolutely normal for some boys to bed-wet until later in their life, even 10 year olds. That's why they made "cool" boxer-like sleeping underwear for them to wear at night.

They say that boys bladders sometimes don't grow until like 12-13, and the result is bedwetting. I remember when my 2nd son was 3-4, and we were on roadtrips, he couldn't hold his bladder AT ALL!! We had to stop all the time for his little bladder :o) My older kids were not like that at all.

I don't think your nephew should be made aware of your concerns. He's at an age where he could be mortified.
I think his mom should talk with a doctor/urologist, to ask the simple questions first to decide if your nephew should even be seen.

In the meantime, you are a very caring auntie who should probably be careful with the way you approach your sister about her son. You don't want to stir any "waves". You might just have to leave it all alone and let the problem stay within their home :o)

Good Luck!

~N. :o)

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M.C.

answers from Stockton on

Hi M.,

There is nothing wrong with him medically. His parents needs to wake him up at least twice to train him. If the parents don't wake him up that means they are lazy.

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D.G.

answers from San Francisco on

Ten is not to old, I wet the bed through elementary school and then off and on all through Junior High and the first part of High School. My younger 2 brothers the same thing and I know the same was true for my dad. My mom tried waking me up and taking me in the night but I still peed- My 8 year old has the same problem now and my husband does not understand but he himself didn't have problems with it.
We use the Safeway store brand pull-ups (they run a little bigger)and I know eventually he will stop.

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B.L.

answers from San Francisco on

Please have his parents get him to a pediatric urologist. There could be a simple "fix" and if it is something more, better to take care of it now.

And yes, 10 is way too old to be wetting at night.

Good luck and God bless,
+B.+

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J.H.

answers from Sacramento on

My husband is a deep sleeper and according to my in-laws, he wet the bed until 8/9 years old. He shared a room w/his older brother. The older brother tired of it and would get up in the middle of the night and take my husband into the bathroom. After a while, my husband was traineed to go in the middle of the night.

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K.J.

answers from Sacramento on

They have pull ups for older kids and/or plastic coverings for mattresses, I wouldn't make a bid deal out of it and it will go away. a Night light may help and waking him up in the middle of the night to go when his bladder is full.

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A.B.

answers from Sacramento on

Hi M., If your nephew is still wetting the bed with the precautions that you and your family are taking, he should probably be evaluated by his pediatrician. Many youngsters who are wetting at this age commonly have physical problems that can easily be diagnosed and treated. This should be done as soon as possible so that a probable physical problem doesn't become a psychological one. Everyone in your family may think it's fine, but what about your nephew? What does he think? Ask him, it's always the best place to start. Good luck!

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B.D.

answers from Sacramento on

I agree with the ladies so far, it might be a medical problem. Sometimes bladders don't grow as fast as the rest of the body. It's fairly common, but better to get an answer just in case it's something more severe.

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L.C.

answers from Sacramento on

M.,

There is another mom who has posted a similar situation with her son and I will be responding to her in the same manner. My nephew is almost 9 and is still wetting the bed, too. My nephew's pediatrician doesn't seem concerned...but, I think that this is an age where the bladder is either developed, or there is a medical situation. I did much research for my sister and found a great tool to help her out. Other moms who have used this 'alarm' system say that it works great within the first few months. After training the body to 'learn' when it is time to wake up to go to the bathroom, there have been no more night-time accidents.

I wish you the best. Although my sister has chosen not to take this route, I hope that your nephew's parents will decide otherwise. Here is a link to the site that I was referred to after all of my research: http://bedwettingstore.com/Bedwetting_Alarms/malem_ultima....

Best of luck to everyone!!

~ L.

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M.K.

answers from Chico on

He'll probably outgrow it soon. Don't believe Mildred. We as parents get enough criticism without being called "lazy" when children have a bedwetting issue. If his parents are concerned about the laundry, www.onestepahead.com sells an absorbent pad that fits over the sheets- they have two sizes.

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C.D.

answers from San Francisco on

Has your nephew been tested for diabetes? When my nephew was seven years old he was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes (Juvenile) that was a symptom (bed wetting).. They should definitely have a trip to the doctor for a check up!!

Take Care, C.

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C.P.

answers from Sacramento on

How about a good Chiropractic adjustment. I have worked in a Chiropractic office in the past and the Dr. was able to solve the peeing of the bed. As it truns out a nerve was pinched and this was causing the children in the 4 cases I saw to not notice the urge while asleep. If you are in the Roseville, California area Dr. Garry C. Kelley is a GREAT chiropractor!

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