5 year old son 'leaking' urine?
Answer:
I'm assuming that you have taken him to see a doctor already. If not, you need to. Sometimes a medical condition can cause this.
If there is no medical issue, you might have to get a little more strict. If you make him clean up his own mess, and make it miserable to do it, that might be enough to make him try to get to the toilet faster.
I wouldn't worry about the pull-ups at night yet. Once he gets control during the day, the night time control will follow. You COULD get some real diapers, (not pull-ups)and tell him that he has to wear them during the day, if he's going to act like a baby. I know it sounds mean, but sometimes they need more than a little nudge.
How does he have any friends, or go out in public with this problem? Maybe you could suggest going to a REALLY fun place for a day trip, then say "Oops - we can't go. You might wet your pants there. When you stop wetting your pants, then we will go."
When my son was 5, he would wait until the last minute, then run for the toilet. They are too busy playing at that age to be worried about making it on time.
you should see a pediatric urologist. Sounds like your son has overactive bladder, which is a form of bladder immaturity. The wetting should go away with time, however, if it is bothersome, there is medication to stop the wetting. He just does not have the ability to control the bladder on his own yet.
I had a very wise and confident pediatrician who recommended responding this way to children: I would not mention this anymore. At 5 years old, he is aware of needing to go to the bathroom. I would not embarrass him by speaking of it with anyone in front of him. But I would put a plastic sheeting under his bed linens and only put regular undershorts on him, even at nite. It will make for a mess for a few days, but I'm betting that he won't like the feeling for long. Every morning, simply and without event, acting like it doesn't bother you at all, tell him to go to the bathroom and he'll need to change his clothing. This is the response to the action. Children need to learn cause and effect, but this isn't worth punishing b/c it isn't done in rebellion. Just prob. simple laziness on his part. If you help dress him, simply, shortly, and calmly remind him that he won't be able to visit overnite with friends or grandma till he is able to stay dry like daddy, all nite long. As far as the day time, when he smells, he'll need to stop playing and calmly, and quite flatly state (and almost in a whisper, as if you are embarrassed and he should be too, LOL) that he is smelling and will need to stay outside playing till dinner or come in and re-dress. And that if he'd like to not have to go to this trouble, then he'll need to come in a go to the bathroom, just like daddy, 'cause daddy would never want to have wet pants. Basically, a child really does not want to be wet, it feels awful. And they do want to be like their parents. So to obtain more priviledges, like visiting with friends or grandma, he'll need to take care of going to the bathroom. :) This approach really does work. Its funny and try not to laugh when you talk to him. :) diannatriplett@yahoo.com
I had the same problem with my son. We tried everything. Nothing seemed to work. So I tried this. And it seemed to work pretty well.
When he looked like he needed to pee, I asked him if he could come and help me do something in my bathroom. He came to help and I asked him ' Do you have to pee?'. He said no and I asked him to try anyway. If you can't get it out then that's ok. As soon as he got over to the toilet and pants down, out it came. After that I just tell him to try and if he can't then that's ok.
Also I started taking toys away for not wanting to leave the toys to use the bathroom. I also made him wear a diaper with no other cloths on for an hour maybe a little less. I changed him like he was a baby and treated him like a baby for the whole time. He hated it. After that he begged me not to treat him like that again. I told him I wouldn't as long as he acted like the big boy that he is.
Best of luck,
Nire Nella
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