Reply from Steven, Child's Age None - 10/22/01 - IP#: 65.35.240.181Hi, Im 16 yrs of age and have been a wetter all my life. I come from a family of wetters at some point in their lives so I know the cause of my problem. Because of this, I have done considerable research on the subject (most of it difficult to obtain and confusing). You didnt indicate any other wetting problems ie: bedwetting or wetting after she had been toilet trained in the past so my response will have to be broad. There are three possibilities that immediately come to mind other than attention; medical, stress, or puberty. First see a doctor to eliminate the posibility of a low grade bladder infection. Stress can be the result of school work load, teasing, loss of a loved one, moving to a new area, stress in the home between parents, child abuse, or introduction of a new sibling (usually affecting 3 to 6 yr olds) among others. Research has shown that puberty can cause wetting for a time in both male and female teenagers with females being affected more than boys. The important thing to remember is diapers should NEVER be used as punishment. Punishment should NEVER be used as a treatment! It can lead to further stress and create long term problems. Get her the products she needs to cope with the situation. I would suggest "Goodnites" since they can be put on and taken off by the individual. She is old enough to do this by herself and doesnt need you "checking" her since this only leads to further embarrassment and stress. I would also suggest that she cover them by wearing panties as well. She must be made to understand that the products are a means to cope with the problem and are not "babyish". Speak with her as you would an adult and reassure her. Refer to the products in terms other than babyish ones ie: night gear,pull ups, product, etc. She should avoid wetting in front of friends or classmates so using the products at school might be necessary. If that is the case, get her excused from gym class. "Wanting attention" can also be the case, but it happens in far less cases with a teenager. If it is, she will need the help of a professional to get at the underlying cause. She needs to understand that she is not the only one with this problem: there are many of us. Have her see this site and contact us in the 11-20 chat room for support and suggestions on how to cope with different situations. I hope this helps and God bless. |