Almost a third (27%) of parents of children who wet the bed say their child “misses out” on summer activities such as sleepovers with friends and family (60%) and camping trips (24%) due to wetting the bed, according to new research published today by the Search for a Dry Bed campaign and bedwetting.ie, a website that offers useful information for parents of children who wet the bed.
 
Of the 404 parents surveyed with children aged 5-12 years who wet the bed, 62% said their child continued to wet the bed regularly while away from home while 14% said their child’s bedwetting actually got worse. Yet only 1 in 10 parents go to their GP to seek help.
 
New research shows children are not the only ones affected by bed wetting.  Over a third of parents say their summer holiday is affected by ensuring their child wears pull ups (37%), having to remember to pack disposable bed mats (36%) and extra supplies (33%). Data shows 14% of parents said they become more anxious that their child will wet the bed during the summer holidays, and they will have to inform others that their child may have an accident.
 
More than 1 in 5 parents are concerned that that their child feels unable to control their problem (23%) or is more self-conscious (23%) or embarrassed (17%), and suffers low moods the next morning (15%) as a result of their bedwetting.
 
Bedwetting usually occurs when children produce a large amount of fluid at night; this is caused by low night time levels of the vasopressin hormone. Most children who wet the bed have a normal bladder, but some have a smaller capacity to retain urine. Children who wet the bed do not wake to the signals the bladder sends when it is full.
 
Despite almost half (45%) of parents stating their determination to work through this problem, almost a third (32%) admitted to feeling embarrassed for their child, while a further quarter (25%) acknowledged that they do not tell others about their child’s bedwetting. 
 
Speaking at the launch, Child Psychologist David Coleman explained:
 
“Children who wet the bed can often feel left out during the summer holidays due to their condition, especially when it comes to participating in fun activities like sleepovers and camping. Try to be inclusive and include your child in these types of activities by preparing well for the journey, packing extra supplies and building up their confidence so they don’t feel embarrassed if they have an accident in front of other friends or family members.”
 
Speaking at the launch, Dr Nick Van Der Spek, Consultant Pediatrician, Cavan General Hospital said:
 
“Parents admitted to adopting a range of strategies to prevent their child wetting the bed during the summer holidays.  The most common methods included restricting children’s drinks late in the evening (63%), not making an issue of it (61%), and praising them when they are not wet (45%).  Surprisingly, only 8% of parents interviewed had spoken to their GP about their child’s problem. I would encourage any parent coping with a child who wets the bed to visit their GP, or in some areas their local HSE Public Health Nurse, or bedwetting.ie to seek immediate advice

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