Bed wetting 14/08/2007
Bedwetting can still be a problem in young people and unfortunately can be something you can?Äôt talk about. People can shy away form the subject of bedwetting. Yet bedwetting can cause many problems that you need to talk about. For many young people it causes embarrassment and worry. Help can be sought and professionals trained specifically on the subject can help.
AM I THE ONLY ONE? No. About 1 in 40 young people are not dry at night. That means there will be quite a few in your school/college or workplace and about 100,000 in this country. WHY DO I WET THE BED? Bedwetting happens because your brain has not yet learned to "tune in" to the signals from your bladder, which tells you your bladder is full. As a result, you don?Äôt wake up and go to the toilet or, as some people do "hold on" until morning. The medical term for this in Nocturnal Enuresis. Bedwetting is not caused by laziness or lack of willpower. So don?Äôt be ashamed. It is not your fault. Sometimes it runs in families.
A wet night might be caused by a urine infection, by tiredness or by drinking coke or alcohol. PAIN ON PASSING URINE OR DIFFICULTY WITH THE URINE FLOW MUST BE INVESIGATED AND YOU MAY HAVE AN INFECTION SO MAKE SURE YOU SEE YOUR DOCTOR. URINE INFECTIONS CAN BE EASILY TREATED WITH ANTIBIOTICS.
Treatments SOMETIMES JUST FOCUSING ON IT CAN HELP! *ENSURE YOU DRINK 7-8 CUPS OF WATER A DAY *GO TO THE TOILET FREQUENTLY DURING THE DAY *RELAX WHEN DOING A WEE-DO NOT RUSH *LAST DRINK 1-1/2 hr BEFORE GOING TO BED *GO TO THE TOILET BEFORE GOING TO BED AND AGAIN BEFORE FALLING ASLEEP *SAY TO YOURSELF "I WILL WAKE UP WHEN I NEED THE TOILET" * EAT A GOOD DIET TO PREVENT CONSTIPATION * SOMETIMES FIZZY DRINKS,TEA, COFFEE,ALCHOLE CAN MAKE THINGS WORSE,SO TRY AND DO A TRIAL TO SEE IF CERTAIN DRINKS AFFECT BEDWETTING. * ENURETIC ALARM OR BUZZER; THIS MACHINE WILL TEACH YOUR BRAIN TO RESPOND TO YOUR BLADDER SIGNALS SO THAT YOU WAKE UP AND GO TO THE TOILET OR "HOLD ON" UNTIL THE MORNING.IT CAN TAKE 8-12 WKS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT WITH THE SUPPORT OF YOUR LOCAL SPECIALIST NURSE OR DOCTOR THIS IS THE BEST METHOD OF ACHIEVING BLADDER CONTROL.YOU CAN BORROW AN ALARM FROM YOUR LOCAL ENURETIC CLINIC OR SOMETIMES YOUR GP.
MEDICINES: * DESMOPRESSIN IS A MEDICINE THAT CAN HELP YOU TO BE DRY, IT CAN ONLY BE PRESCRIBED BY YOUR GP OR DOCTOR AT AN ENURETIC CLINIC. * YOU CAN DISCUSS THIS PROBLEM WITH YOUR GP, SCHOOL NURSE OR ANY HEALTH PROFFESSIONAL IN CONFIDENCE AND AN APPOINTMENT CAN BE ARRANGED FOR THE CLINIC. INFORMATION AND SUPPORT CONTACTS: * SCHOOL HEALTH NURSE (school Nurse Drop Ins. * GP. * ERIC (Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence. * YOUNG PEOPLES HELP LINE- www.trusteric.org Tel no 0117 9603060. Email: info@eric.org.uk
Useful Websites (if applicable)