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Sleepovers & Bedwetting

For many children, sleepovers are fun and exciting events to look forward to. For some children, though, sleepovers can cause anxiety and stress if they are prone to bedwetting. There are ways that parents and children can work together to ease troubling situations caused by bedwetting.

  1. Understanding Bedwetting

    • Bedwetting, also known as enuresis, is nocturnal urination. According the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 15% of children wet the bed after the age of 3. There are several reasons why your child might be a bedwetter. Kids who are deep sleepers don't feel that their bladder is full, and they urinate in their sleep. Bedwetting is also a hereditary characteristic that can be passed through the family. Occasionally, bedwetting can be triggered by stressful situations in the child's life, such as a new baby in the family.

    Long-term Bedwetting Solutions

    • You can help your child become "sleepover ready." A child who wets the bed because he doesn't wake up in time to go to the bathroom can do exercises at home to improve bladder control. According to KidsHealth.org, there is a tiny alarm that can be connected to a pad in your child's undergarment that will buzz or vibrate when moisture is detected. This alarm is used to teach the child's brain to either wake up and go to the bathroom or to hold it until morning. This exercise will help your child have more confidence when attending sleepovers, but it could take some time and is not an immediate fix.

    The Power of the Brain

    • According to KidsHealth.org, some bedwetters commented that they are actually dryer when they are at sleepovers because they are thinking about not wetting the bed and do not sleep as heavily as they normally do. It can be helpful for kids who are going to a sleepover to know that their brain will help them remember not to wet the bed that night.

    Involve the Parents

    • To eliminate stress from sleepover bedwetting, inform the parents who are hosting the sleepover about the problem. Ask the parents to keep an eye on things so that the child feels that he has someone to go to if there is a problem. The other parents can make sure that your child doesn't have too many liquids before bed and that she has a safe path to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Pack a small bag of extra clothing that the other parent can access if there is an accident.

    Disposable Diapers

    • Diapers such as GoodNites by Kimberly-Clark look like boxer-style shorts for boys and girls with popular prints on them. They don't look like regular diapers, and they don't make that crinkle noise either. Your child can wear these under his pajamas and wake up dry. If your child is embarrassed about changing into a nighttime diaper in front if his friends, ask the host parent to put one in the bathroom for your child. He can then change into it without the other sleepover guests knowing.

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