Regular bedwetting is a distressing condition that can become a heavy burden, affecting the entire family psychologically, socially and financially. In fact, according to recent research conducted by MummyPages, it has a huge effect on the child and their family.
Ahead of World Bedwetting Day (24th May 2016), MummyPages.ie, Ireland’s largest parenting community, has found that there is a distinct lack of information and education surrounding the issue, with 40% of parents unaware that bedwetting is a treatable, medical condition.
In fact, just under 20% of mums surveyed sought professional help for their child from their family GP to help them overcome the problem. Furthermore, only 6% of mums knew of a simple, oral medicine that can help children to stop bedwetting often used during a family holiday and or a sleepover with friends.
"Bedwetting isn’t just stressful for your child – it can also impact the entire family. The constant getting up in the middle of the night to change your child’s sheets and clothes and calm them down is exhausting not to mention all of the extra laundry. The loss of sleep can make children tired in school and parents more irritable during the day, and can impact busy work schedules," said Laura Haugh, Mum-in-Residence for MummyPages.
"We would advise our mums to try and be calm when dealing with incidents of bedwetting to avoid further distress. Feelings of shame, upset or that they have disappointed you will only compound the problem. MummyPages recommends mum to use a plastic cover to protect your child’s mattress and keep spare pyjamas and bed sheets near to the bed to help cut down on the clean-up time.
"More importantly, MummyPages recommends mums to seek professional advice from their GP to rule out any underlying medical condition such as a urine production messenger imbalance, a slow nervous system, small bladder, diabetes or constipation, all of which may be the cause of a child’s bedwetting condition."
