Sleep Disorder Research Center...The Bedwetting Solution
A Christian Centered Ministry and Company
False Theories and Myths
The theories for bedwetting go on and on, however they usually miss dealing
with the real problem. Bedwetting that is the result of excessively deep sleep
will be corrected when the real problem is addressed, and the sleep is adjusted
so that the bedwetter will be able to awaken in response to their bladder
signals. That is what SDRC Inc. will do with its bedwetting correction program.
Here is what parents should know about some of the many false theories about
enuresis or bedwetting.
THEY WILL OUTGROW THE PROBLEM
You’ve probably heard people, maybe even your doctor, tell you not to worry the
bedwetting because your child will outgrow his or her enuresis problem. But no
one will tell you when the bedwetting will stop, and there are just too many
older children, teens and even adults suffering from enuresis for this to be the
correct answer. And low self-esteem and low self-image can result if the bedwetting
problem is not corrected early. Advice about bedwetting, such as "don't worry
about it, they will outgrow bedwetting", is very easy to give, especially since
the one giving the advice is not the one waking up in the morning with the wet
bed. But you can count on this, if they were the ones with the bedwetting
problem, or had a child with the bedwetting problem, they would be looking for
help, just as you are.
SMALL BLADDER
Another theory to the cause of bedwetting is that the bladder is too small and
because of that, it just fills up too quickly. Let's think about this idea for a
moment. If the bladder were too small what would be the result? Well, the person
would have to use the restroom more often than normal. In the night, the person
would wake up and use the restroom just like anyone else.
The problem is, the bedwetter doesn't wake up. They sleep right through the bladder signals and wet
the bed, if the signals happen once or if they happen 5 times. The size of the
bladder may require a person to use the toilet more often, but it is not the
cause of bedwetting. Deep sleep is the cause of bedwetting. The bladder signals
do not wake up the deep sleeper, and they urinate in their sleep.
RESTRICTING LIQUID
This seems to be the most popular theory for solving the bedwetting problem. The
idea is cutting down the liquids would keep the bladder from filling up in the
night, and the person would be able to make it through the night hours without
having to urinate. The problem is that it just doesn't work. And it is very
difficult to ask someone not to have a drink of water when they are thirsty,
especially at bedtime. Besides this, most of the food we eat turns to liquid
form when it passes through the digestive system, so the deep sleeper wets
during sleep even when liquids are restricted. The bedwetting problem is not
liquid intake, but deep sleep. If fact, we require the enuretic to drink a glass
of water at bedtime while on our program.
EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS
By now, research has largely debunked this myth. Parents need to remember that
the bedwetter is wetting the bed during their sleep, not when they are awake and
in control. Enuresis is a problem with sleep patterns, not with emotions. It
needs to be said however, that allowing the bedwetting to continue for years can
lead to emotional problems. Imagine having to deal with this problem every
night, every morning waking up with a wet bed, the odor, the wet bed clothes and
clothing. Often, the enuretic hides the evidence, because of the guilt they feel
from wetting the bed. Sometimes they even lie about the wet bed in an effort to
please the parents. They hope the bedwetting will stop and go away, so they can
feel better about themselves. Often, while growing up, they will not sleep over
or go to camp because of the fear of bedwetting being discovered.
BRIBES AND DISCIPLINE
Many parents have tried discipline and bribes in an effort to motivate the
enuretic to stop wetting. They believe that the enuretic can control themselves and if they were motivated enough, the bedwetting will cease. These
practices fail and can cause enormous discouragement for both the enuretic and
parent. Think of the message these practices send to the enuretic. The message
is that the enuretic is needs more motivation because he or she is not trying
hard enough to stop wetting the bed. Remember, the enuretic cannot wake up to
the bladder signals because of the deep sleep they are in. It is not their fault
that they wet the bed.
GETTING THE ENURETIC UP DURING THE NIGHT
Almost every parent tries this. They will get up in the night, get the child out
of bed, take them to the bathroom, have them use the bathroom, take them back to
bed, only to find in the morning that the child has wet the bed again during the
night. The reason this fails is twofold. First, no one knows when the bladder is
going to begin to send signals for the enuretic to use the restroom. It is just
a guessing game for a parent to try and catch the child in time to prevent a
wetting. Secondly, the child who is a deep sleeper will sleep right through this
whole routine. They may walk, they may talk to the parent, but they will not
remember any of it the next morning because they are asleep while the parent
takes them to the restroom in the night. Actually, doing this can make the
bedwetting problem worse, because what the enuretic is doing, is what we do not
want them to do, and that is urinating in their sleep. This may train the
parent, but it does not help the enuretic.
MEDICINES
There are medicines for bedwetting on the market that are prescribed for
bedwetting. Some are taken orally, and some are in the form of nasal sprays.
Some improvement may be noticed while the medicines are being used, but too
often, when they are stopped, the enuretic starts bedwetting all over again.
There are also side effects associated with medicines, such as a nose bleed.
Remember that these medicines are not treating the real problem, the deep sleep.
They can be very expensive and in the end, very discouraging. There have even
been surgeries performed in an effort to stop bedwetting. Our program treats the
deep sleep pattern and in the end, the enuretic will be able to wake up on
their own to their bladder signals.
MOISTURE-SENSING ALARMS
There are many bedwetting moisture sensing alarm devices available, at all price
ranges, that are used for treating bedwetting. Most of these are battery
operated systems, not household current, so there is no danger of shock. There
are a couple devices that need to be plugged into the wall outlet. We do not
suggest that you try these. The very
best, most successful, even most sensitive to moisture, and safest system to use is the bell and pad system that is used
by SDRC Inc. However, there are even some imitations of our system that will not
hold up very long before they fail.
When a person buys just a bedwetting alarm system, they should remember that the
alarm sounds after a wetting occurs. This concept does not correct the problem.
The enuretic needs to be able to wake up before the alarm sounds.
The enuretic needs a complete program to properly
correct the deep sleepers bedwetting problem. Just using an
alarm system, without a correctional program, will fail. The Center utilizes an
alarm system, but we incorporate the use of the system with an instructional
program with therapeutic techniques, along with behavior modification and
motivation. Also remember that we use the alarm to gather needed information as
we establish a bedwetting pattern.