Bedwetting

Q: My son is 10 years old and regularly pees the bed. He has taken tablets to dry up the bladder in the night, but we haven’t seen a noticeable difference. What can we do to help him?

A: Enuresis or bedwetting in an older child remains a very common problem that can really interfere with the child’s social life and self-esteem. It usually runs in families: If one parent had it, your child has a 40 percent chance of wetting the bed late; if both parents had it, the risk is almost 80 percent. The incidence is five to 10 percent of boys at age seven, and decreases about 15 percent a year up to adolescence.

There are many approaches (I’m sure you’ve tried most), but DDAVP Tabs seem to be best. There are stronger meds (with more side effects) as well. If your son is upset about not being able to go on sleepovers, overnight camps or school trips, I would certainly speak to his doctor. If he is not bothered by this, then teach him to do the laundry and take charge of the problem, and he will come out a winner in spite of this current challenge.