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Biofeedback May Work to Stop Bedwetting If Home Remedies Fail

Many children wet the bed, and almost all grow out of it on their own. Knowing that is little comfort to the frustrated parents who want to help their child stop but have run out of ideas.

Bruce Lindgren, M.D., a pediatric urologist at Loyola University Health System, sees patients and parents who are at their wits’ end. “Enuresis (the technical term for daytime or nighttime accidents) can be a tremendous problem for children and families,” he said. 

About 15 percent of children still experience wetting at age 5. The problem will go away on its own in about 15 percent of those children each year. By age 15, 1 to 2 percent of children still experience enuresis.

After ruling out physical problems that could be related to bedwetting or daytime accidents (see sidebar), Lindgren suggests simple steps parents can try at home. If that doesn’t work, some children may benefit from Lindgren’s computerized biofeedback training, a unique program in the Chicago area.

Constructive approaches are to positively reward the child for dry nights with stickers or prizes and to let the child take as much responsibility for the consequences of the problem as he or she can, such as changing the bed linens.

It is a good idea to limit the amount of fluids the child drinks one to two hours before bed.

During the day, the child should use the bathroom regularly, at least every three hours. “Some children void so infrequently that their bladders get over-filled. Then they may not empty the bladder completely because it is too stretched out to squeeze efficiently,” Lindgren said.

Another option – for the right patient – is biofeedback. “It’s new, innovative, non-invasive and successful,” Lindgren said.

Stickers are placed on the child’s skin – no tubes or needles are needed – and in the 30 to 45 minutes sessions, a computer program instructs the child how to identify the muscles used for urination. “They see a response on the screen and hear a clicking noise where they are exercising the right muscles,” Lindgren said.

About 85 percent of the children treated with biofeedback stop wetting, and all patients see some improvement. The treatment may also be useful for patients who don’t have wetting accidents but have recurrent urinary tract infections, Lindgren noted.

Lindgren and his pediatric urologist colleague, David Hatch, M.D., see patients at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood as well as at Loyola’s Oakbrook Terrace Medical Center and primary care centers in Darien, Glendale Heights, Hickory Hills and Wheaton.

Warning Signs

While bedwetting is not usually a serious health threat, it can be a sign of a physical problem. Consultation with a physician is recommended particularly if these signs are present:

•     Child urinates unusually frequently during the day

•     Child often feels a sudden, urgent need to go to the bathroom

•     Bedwetting starts suddenly in a child who previously was able to stay dry

•     Child has had one or more urinary tract infections

•     Bedwetting is causing distress to the child or family

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