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Wet, but Dry
How Absorbent Underwear May Help Your Bedwetting Child
By Lisamarie Sanders
When you lie down to sleep at night, you probably don't even think about the possibility of waking up cold and wet in the morning. Unfortunately, as many as 7 million children in the U.S. do.
Nocturnal enuresis, commonly known as bedwetting, occurs when a sleeping child cannot control his bladder during the night. There is no single cause for this involuntary urination, but researchers believe it one of the most common reasons may be underdeveloped bladders. The one thing everyone agrees on is that it is not a willful misbehavior by the child. "Every child would rather wake up dry than wet," says Renee Mercer, MSN, certified pediatric nurse practitioner at Enuresis Associates in Maryland. "They really try to stop wetting the bed, but it's not in their control."
One way to ease the discomfort for children suffering with this condition is through the use of disposable absorbent underpants. There are many products available today, ranging from Pull-ups® training pants for smaller children to Goodnites® absorbent underpants designed specifically for older children who are dealing with enuresis. Dr. Steven Docimo, head of the Urology Department at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, says these products are wonderful for children. "Waking up in a cold, wet bed has no conditioning effect," he says, noting that disposable underpants make for "one less chore for parents in the morning."
Experts from the National Kidney Foundation agree. "Using absorbent products at night to protect the bed will often reduce the frustration level of a parent and/or child waking to wet sheets." And although many parents believe using these products may prolong the bedwetting, Dr. Docimo reassures that "there is no evidence that it takes longer to grow out of bedwetting if a child wears absorbent pants."