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Bedwetting and Special Needs Kids
By Mary Dixon Weidler
These type of issues are potentially stressful to both child and family in a developmental context, according to Dr. Cliff Mevs, a developmental pediatrician with the Brooklyn School for Special Children.
"Children with disabilities are more emotionally fragile than other children," Dr. Bennett says. "Parents need to rise to the occasion, treating bedwetting as one more issue to be resolved with love and attention."
Most of the treatments for bedwetting in a special needs child apply to all children: decrease fluids before bedtime -- although not to excess -- and increase trips to the toilet. Disposable absorbent underpants such as GoodNites® can help you cope with the situation. The GoodNites Web site offers information specific to enuresis in special needs children. Get product information and money-saving offers at www.goodnites.com/sn.
As the child matures and his bladder catches up to his growth, bedwetting may decrease. If the child continues to awake wet despite precautionary measures, you should investigate the situation with your child's medical caregivers.
"Unlike other children, special needs children see more than one physician," Dr. Bennett says. All of the child's pediatricians, pediatric urologists, neurologists and other medical caregivers should be included in devising the best plan of action.
But how should the problem be treated if a child's disability limits his mobility? "Obviously, a child with motor impairment will have difficulty making it to the toilet," Dr. Bennett says. "The most important thing a parent can do in this situation is to make the child's physical environment as conducive as possible to allow reasonable toileting."
For example, the parent can make sure the bathroom is large enough to accommodate the child's wheelchair. Handrails can be installed, and light switches, sinks and other appliances should be at the appropriate height. "The more easily a child can get to the bathroom, the fewer accidents there will be," says Dr. Bennett. Having an appropriately equipped bathroom will also be physical evidence of support.