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Bedwetting in kids with CP

Phil82
Phil82 Community member Posts: 50 Connected

Do any of you have kids with CP who have had difficulty with bed wetting?

I'm wondering if my sons issues are to do with our mysterious neurological issue or not. I'm fairly sure that his nevrves aren't speaking to his brain correctly or he has weak core/bladder muscles probably the first because he is fine in the day.

The peadatrican gave him medication and we have just doubled the dose but it hasn't made a bit of difference.

He can be wet 2-3 times a night and each time he is soaking the tablets haven't reduced the amount he is producing at all also he sleeps really heavy so nothing wakes him up we have tried an alarm for about 2 years now.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience of any other medications/treatments.




Comments

  • Richard_Scope
    Richard_Scope Posts: 3,638 Scope online community team
    Hi @Phil82
    Some studies have suggested that children living with CP gain control of their bladder and bowel at an older age than their non-CP counterparts and are susceptible to frequent nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting to me and you) and urinary infections and also urge incontinence. Not everybody with CP will experience this. 

    One possible solution would be a good solid bedtime routine. Where fluid intake is limited about an hour before bed and your son fully empty his bladder at roughly the same time before bed to help create muscle memory through repetition. I'm sure you already have this in place.


    There is some useful information from Incontinence UK about How to treat nighttime bedwetting.
    Scope
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  • Phil82
    Phil82 Community member Posts: 50 Connected

    Thanks Richard will take a look we have tried most things.

    Yes it is probably just a case of his nervous system taking longer to mature and the signals just not working yet.


  • forgoodnesssake
    forgoodnesssake Community member Posts: 500 Pioneering
    My son (now 21 with athetoid CP) was in overnight pads for urine until he was about 17.  He had been out of them in the daytime since aged about 7 (?) but nights just seemed harder.  But when we eventually did bite the bullet as it were, we did use the alarm thing for about 2 nights but actually he only triggered it once I think and within a few days he was dry all night.  Maybe we would have achieved this at a  younger age I don't know,  maybe it would have taken longer...but certainly when we did it was almost completely painless and I had been dreading nights of wet sheets etc
  • Phil82
    Phil82 Community member Posts: 50 Connected
    The alarm doesn't even wake him up and I think now he has got to used to it, also I have tried setting an alarm an hour after he goes to bed and making him get up and switch it off to get used to waking up but even then I end up waking him and he doesn't really come round.
  • April2018mom
    April2018mom Posts: 2,882 Disability Gamechanger
    Hello 

    There are free nappies available. My toddler son uses them occasionally at night. Ask a incontinence nurse about them. He also has serious bladder issues. Do you see a urologist or not? 
  • Phil82
    Phil82 Community member Posts: 50 Connected

    Hi no we have only had one appointment with a pediatrician we go back in 2 weeks. He's only just turned 7 so until they are seven noone would do anything about it especially because to everyone apart from he looks like he has no other issues.

    She was sure the medication would sorted it she will be shocked when I tell her even with the double dose he is as bad as ever, maybe she will believe me now that there must be something else going on.


  • Phil82
    Phil82 Community member Posts: 50 Connected

    Wow a productive appointment with the pediatrician today she is going to refer us to the following people:-

    Urology to check his bladder muscles

    Physio for a check up

    Occupational health to check posture, balance etc (this sounds like it will be very helpful) they also advise on handwritting

    Community pediatrics to check for autism! (I'm not to sure about this one as she did say our referal might even get rejected)


    As lovely as it is that someone is looking into all this my problem now is there will be so many appointments my little lad will start getting stressed out worrying something is wrong with him.

    Also my wife only thinks we need the Urology one as she doesn't believe there is anything wrong with him or me for that matter.

    Progress though and I can see how all these things link back to CP in someway.

  • Adrian_Scope
    Adrian_Scope Posts: 10,821 Scope online community team
    That does sound like a really productive appointment @Phil82. :)
    Community Manager
    Scope
  • Phil82
    Phil82 Community member Posts: 50 Connected

    I think I may have cured my sons bedwetting without realising!

    Was out shopping yesterday and I thought I will buy him son multivitamins as he doesn't eat much veg.

    You would never believe it but last night he was dry all night where as he has been wetting 3-4 times a night!

    I thought that's a bit odd and have just looked it up and if you have a magnesium defficiany you will have more bladder spasms .

    Also an interesting article here about viatmin deficiancys and how they affect people with imature Central Nervous systems.

    http://mthfr.net/bedwetting-and-mthfr/2015/06/15/

    Going to see how he does the next few nights and if he is still dry I will be onto the pediatrican because this must show he is having spasms.



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