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Here are some of the most common questions about bedwetting. If you don't see your question below, please let us know!
If it's asked a lot, we'll add it.
Send a new question to: question@drykid.org
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Do a lot of kids wet the bed?
Should I go to the pediatrician?
What causes bedwetting?
What about medication?
Can bedwetting cause psychological harm?
What won't work?
Do children outgrow bedwetting?
How much does it cost?
Is the fee tax deductible?
How is Dry Kid Academy funded?
Do a lot of kids wet the bed?
The fact is, an estimated 5 to 7 million children and teens in the United States wet the bed. Boys wet more than girls and about 5% to 10% of them will continue doing it into adulthood. The incidence of wetting the bed is much less after the age of five years old. However, if your child is older than this and still wetting on a regular basis, it's good that Dry Kid Academy is around to help.
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Should I go to the pediatrician?
You are probably already aware of the fact that most cases of bedwetting are caused by deep sleep. These are the cases that Dry Kid Academy works with and have the best results. However, your child's doctor can determine if the wetting is caused by a serious medical condition. So we wouldn't advise anyone to start with Dry Kid Academy until we are certain that the cause is not from something that we can't help. See the "20 Questions" page for more help. Dry Kid Academy has licensed professionals that can work with your child's doctor until dryness is achieved.
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What causes bedwetting?
Most children that wet the bed at night do so in a deep sleep. In other words, they just can't wake up.
Bedwetting is rarely caused by a serious medical condition and by now, you probably know that.
You're going to be happy to know that if we accept a case it's because we believe dryness can be achieved.
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What about medication?
Most physicians tell us, "I don't like giving these medications to children because of the potential serious side effects." In fact, the FDA has recently banned Desmopressin (DDAVP), the most commonly prescribed medication for bedwetting, because of the incidence of seizure and death in some children.
Another common medication is Imiprimine. This is an antidepressant drug and while it has not been banned, most pediatricians will not prescribe it until the child is much older because of it's serious side effects. Dry Kid Academy does not prescribe medication and does not recommend waiting beyond age 5 in most cases.
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Can bedwetting cause psychological harm?
Studies show that children that wet the bed have low self-esteem, a poor self-image, and are often quick to anger. Some also have ADD, poor grades and difficulties in personal relationships. Sometimes other family members are unsympathetic to the wetting or don't understand the psychological burden placed on a child that wets the bed.
A disturbing fact presented by FBI special agent, Robert Ressler (http://www.robertkressler.com/pub.html) in his book "Sexual Homicide" states that 68% of serial killers wet the bed past age 12 years old. The Crime Library website (http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/tick/5b.htm) also identifies bedwetting as part of a triad of psychopathic behaviors. The good news is that according to a 1979 paper published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences (http:www.astm.org/JOURNALS/FORENSIC/PAGES/JFS241790240.htm) this may only apply in "subjects who have already been identified as 'dangerous' or 'antisocial'." One of the things that parents love about Dry Kid Academy is that most kids are dry in about 90 days and the ones that take longer we work with until dryness is achieved.
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What won't work?
Experience shows that punishment doesn't work. Children that wet the bed aren't doing it because they are lazy or because they want to wake up in a wet bed. They want to be dry and they would be, if they knew how. Think of how happy your child will be when they are able to confidently say, "I'm Dry" knowing that they will never wake up in a wet bed again.
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Do children outgrow bedwetting?
Waiting until the child "outgrows it" was the most common approach to handling bedwetting in the past. But research shows that 5% to 10% won't outgrow it.
Unfortunately, we can't know if your child will be one of the 5% to 10% that will wet into adulthood.
We recommend our program for families that have a child older than 5 years old that is wetting the bed at night on a regular basis. But it's not important that you enroll in our program. What's important is that your child stops wetting the bed.
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How much does it cost?
It's low. We are an organization of volunteers and the internet really keeps our overhead down.
Our mission is to help every family regardless of need. If you would like more details about our fees, please complete our "20 Questions" page.
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Is the fee tax deductible?
Yes, the cost of this training will be a tax deductible donation. We have received our tax exempt status in the State of North Carolina where we are incorporated and have until September 20, 2010 to submit our application for federal 503(c) status with the IRS as a public charity. This is a lengthy process and we have not yet completed it. However, according to IRS rules, "tax exemption may be retroactive to the date of incorporation," which was June 20, 2008.
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How is Dry Kid Academy funded?
All funding comes in the form of private donations from people like you. We appreciate all donations. Your support will cause us to help eliminate the negative psychological impact that bedwetting can have on a child and the family.
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