Millions of Children Are Uneasy About Attending Overnight Camp



April 26 2002 For about 5 million boys and girls the thought of attending an overnight camp seems a distant possibility because according to the National Kidney Foundation this is the estimated number of children who wet their beds every night For these children overnight summer camps are out of the question embarrassment and fear of being found out block the way Many parents operate under the misconception that bedwetting is a result of bad parenting lazy children or psychological problems Most children's bedwetting is simply a result of genetics according to Dr Max Maizels Professor of Urology at Northwestern University Medical School In fact he says most children who bed wet have no more control over whether they wet or don wet than they do over choosing the color of their eyes Dr Maizels is the coauthor of the book Getting to Dry How to Help Your Child Overcome Bedwetting Harvard Common Press He says Children who are labeled bed wetters are often disqualified from a number of overnight activities including sleepovers trips to Grandma and summer camp which are almost considered rights of passage There are a number of steps parents of bedwetting children can take between now and the time summer camp begins First of all it is always a good idea to have your child evaluated by a physician to rule out the unlikely possibility that the childs condition is not a result of a physical abnormality This is rare and is only the case in about 3 of children Some childrens wetting may be caused or complicated by certain foods like caffeine and milk products Chronic constipation can also contribute to a childs inability to remain dry through the night The vast majority of nighttime wetting is a result of what is termed pediatric nocturnal enuresis Through the proper use of an enuresis alarm nearly all of these children can easily learn to overcome their bedwetting Simply stated it is believed that the underlying reason why a child with enuresis wets at night is that the brain and bladder do not communicate well when he or she is sleeping A contributing factor is the fact that nearly all children who wet are deep sleepers An enuresis alarm is a small battery operated device that the child wears while asleep and there are several models available on the market The price is generally about one hundred dollars and they all work essentially the same way A moisture sensor attached to a small alarm or buzzer is attached to the childs undergarment When the sensor detects the first drop of moisture the alarm sounds Over a period of typically 3 to 8 weeks the child begins to get in tune with the signals from their bladder and the alarm is no longer needed For over fifteen years Dr Maizels has directed the TRY for DRY program at Childrens Memorial Hospital in Chicago which is dedicated to helping children with pediatric enuresis We consider 14 consecutive dry days and nights to be successful remission of wetting says Maizels Children using an enuresis alarm should wear it nightly until this goal is achieved In addition to the enuresis alarm the TRY for DRY program recognizes the usefulness of pharmaceutical alternatives the most popular of which is DDAVP a product of Aventis Pharmaceutical This prescription medication is effective in helping many children get immediate relief from nighttime wetting The drawback is that in the majority of cases it requires that the child continue the medication indefinitely and it is not effective for everyone If your child is among those who respond favorably to this medication it can be a useful alternative for potential campers The results are immediate and it may enable your child to remain dry during the two or four weeks of camp When the camper returns home Dr Maizels recommends you consider replacing the DDAVP therapy with the enuresis alarm therapy In general the medical community recognizes the enuresis alarm to be the most effective treatment to overcome pediatric enuresis permanently and in the long run is much more economical then purchasing diapers or the continued use of medication If you have a potential camper who wants to be dry in time to join his or her friends this summer now is the time to discuss the possible treatment alternatives with your childs healthcare provider For information about enuresis alarm s DDAVP and the potential benefits of other treatment options read Getting to Dry How to Overcome Bedwetting Harvard Common Press available at your local bookstore or library The book is available online at wwwtryfordrycom where you can also learn more about bedwetting Contact Reno Lovison TRY for DRY Ltd 5250 N Broadway 106 Chicago IL 60640 7739891960 email protected from spam bots httpwwwtryfordrycom



Millions of Children Are Uneasy About Attending Overnight Camp