Toilet training is no different to any other new skill your child is learning. Just think how much time and energy you put into your child’s first steps, riding a bike or eating vegetables. Understand that accidents are a normal part of this learning process and that your child is not punishing you or doing it on purpose.
Most importantly, keep it positive. Children learn so much better when they are enjoying themselves, so make it fun!
Once urine seeps into a mattress, the smell is very difficult to get rid of and the moisture can cause permanent damage. Fortunately there are products on the market that can help to minimise the impact. Plus anything you can do to get yourself back to bed faster and keep the laundry down will just make things a little easier.
We recommend:
Brolly Sheet
These go on top of the bottom sheet and your child sleeps on the 100% cotton top. The wings tuck in and hold it in place. This means when it is wet, you can change the Brolly Sheet in a few seconds and not strip the whole bed at 2 am. It really does take the hassle out of changing a wet bed. There is an absorbent middle layer and a soft, quiet waterproof back. No PVCs or vinyl’s.
The same as a Brolly Sheet without the tuck in flaps. These pads just sit on top of the mattress and are ideal for children that do not move too much in bed, or that come in and sleep with you.
Waterproof Top Sheet
Saves you having to wash your duvet and blankets. These sheets are two thin layers of 100% cotton with a thin waterproof membrane in the middle. They have the weight and feel of a flannelette sheet so in summer you might use without a blanket or duvet. Heavy but breathable and most importantly waterproof! Great if you have a boy who constantly wets “upwards” or a child who wraps themselves round the duvet.
Waterproof Mattress Protector
This is a fully fitted protector that goes underneath your bottom sheet. They are great for every bed in the house, not just for those who wet the bed. Protects your mattress from bed wetting, tummy bugs, sweat, spilt drinks etc.
Care and maintenance note: Our duvet covers are designed to protect your duvet from liquids, so they are in essence a large waterproof. When your duvet cover is laundered in a washing machine, water will invariably seep internally through the zip closure and not escape through the waterproof barrier. You may therefore find it necessary to reverse the liner (by turning it inside out) and carrying out another spin cycle. If a large amount of water enters the duvet cover, this may affect the balance of your washing machine during a spin cycle, so you might find it necessary to manually drain the water from the duvet liner before commencing the spin cycle.
Night Light - A night light can work wonders for helping your child feel confident at night to go to toilet.
Waterproof plastic sheets cover the whole mattress to keep liquid out. However, they can be noisy and uncomfortable; they don’t absorb perspiration, so feel cold and clammy to sleep on. After an accident you still have to strip and re-make the bed.
Disposable nappies / pull ups contain the accident, but it has been suggested that modern pull-ups and nappies are too comfortable. They soak up the liquid immediately, so the child sleeps right through the accident. Something that makes the child feel wet when they urinate will make them more aware of their bodily functions. If the wetness makes them uncomfortable, they’re more likely to wake up and thus gain control as they begin to associate the full-bladder feeling with unpleasant, wet pyjamas.
Small waterproof mats are much like small children. They don’t stay where they’re put. More often than not, the urine misses the mat altogether.
Alarms - These can be used successfully for children from the age of 7 years, providing your child is motivated and is able to manage using the alarm at night with your support. You will therefore need to be prepared for disrupted nights’ sleep until the routine is established and the alarm begins to result in dry nights. Treatment usually takes 3-4 months. Alarms are likely to be more successful if used with professional help.
Medicines - There are various medications available to help prevent nocturnal enuresis. It is usually only after the age of five that medication is recommended. The most widely prescribed is Desmopressin.
Desmopressin works on the kidneys in a similar way to the naturally occurring vasopressin - by reducing and concentrating the amount of urine produced overnight. Taken just before bedtime, about 7 out of 10 children show rapid improvement while using the medication. Desmopressin may be prescribed in the short term when a child goes away on holiday, visits friends or goes on camp, but depending upon the individual assessment, it can be used for six months or more.
As with all medications, before taking them, you need to be sure that you have consulted with your family doctor or paediatrician and that they are the correct ones for your child.