CBT for Bedwetting?

Firefly

pigpen wrote: »

We went to clinic for 4 years with a years break in the middle. There isn't a 'next step' apparently, though they claimed to have referred her to urology but it later transpired they didn't because they reckoned it is a 'behavioural' issue rather than a physical issue. 3 referrals have been sent to CAMHS with no response.. which is quite usual here. This is as far as I have got with the GP.. I take her they say 'we'll send another referral'..

The next step would be the Urology referral and CAMHS referral. Is there ever an issue with wetting in school?

In my experience this isn't an unusual situation to be in with a young person with emotional and behavioural difficulties but these do need to be addressed for the wellbeing of you all.

Please don't give up.

fluffnutter

pigpen wrote: »

I was just wondering if anyone had tried CBT for bedwetting teens and what the success rate was like?

I just had a revelation about trying it possibly for my daughter, but I don't want it to be another waste of time like the 4 years we spent going to enuretic clinic (we were discharged when the nurse decided it was a waste of everyones time because we were making no progress at all). I intend speaking to the school nurse next week regardless and see what she suggests.

She also has other behaviours we need to change, stealing for a start (money to a lesser degree, sweets and sweet food items mainly)

Any ideas why she bedwets? If she's not doing it consciously, i.e. it's a neurological or physical thing, then CBT won't help.

pandamonium

This worked for my nearly teen. http://www.firstwayforward.com/bedwetting.html

We were desparate as he was about to go on a high school residential trip.

We had been through the alarms, medication etc. he would sleep right through the alarm, even though it woke the rest of the house.

Tinks32

Hmmm we tried this too, didn't work at all. All it ended up doing was to make him go to sleep quicker as the voice is so hypnotic! But that doesn't mean that it won't work for somebody else!

pigpen

Firefly wrote: »

The next step would be the Urology referral and CAMHS referral. Is there ever an issue with wetting in school?

In my experience this isn't an unusual situation to be in with a young person with emotional and behavioural difficulties but these do need to be addressed for the wellbeing of you all.

Please don't give up.

CAMHS don't have time to see her I would assume by the 3 ignored referrals and urology, we were lied to basically, the nurse said a referral had been made then said it hadn't as she thought it is all behavioural.

Daytime wetting was a massive issue until she was 9, wetting up to 3-4 times a day was normal for her . she had scans and urine volume measured and was dx with an irritable bladder which would spontaneously evacuate when about 1/3rd full. Oxybutynin seemed to sort that and she has been fine since It made not a jot of difference to the night time wetting.

fluffnutter wrote: »

Any ideas why she bedwets? If she's not doing it consciously, i.e. it's a neurological or physical thing, then CBT won't help.

If I knew why, I would know how to stop it and if I didn't I would find out... this is why we are here

pandamonium wrote: »

This worked for my nearly teen. http://www.firstwayforward.com/bedwetting.html

We were desparate as he was about to go on a high school residential trip.

We had been through the alarms, medication etc. he would sleep right through the alarm, even though it woke the rest of the house.

We tried homeopathy.. so I guess anything is worth a try!! it'll fit nicely on her mp3 player I'm sure ..

thanks all

pandora205

CBT can be effective if the cause is anxiety and if the person wants to engage with this type of therapy. (It can also be effective for depression). It also requires a certain level of cognitive ability so is not suitable for all young people. However, it is not effective for many behavioural difficulties.

What was the view of the CAMHS practitioner? By a 'behavioural issue' did they mean that it was a learned behaviour? Were underlying emotional issues considered? Mention of stealing would suggest something else going on here. It can be useful to carry out a functional analysis of the behaviour, i.e. to consider what function it fulfils. This could be attention, power, revenge, avoidance, a consequence of the young person's developmental level... Lots of explanations are possible and mostly wouldn't be addressed by CBT.

neneromanova

This is in no way having a go at you and the amount of kids you have Pigpen But could it be her calling out for attention as she has 10 other kids to compete with for attention?

Just a thought

pigpen

pandora205 wrote: »

CBT can be effective if the cause is anxiety and if the person wants to engage with this type of therapy. (It can also be effective for depression). It also requires a certain level of cognitive ability so is not suitable for all young people. However, it is not effective for many behavioural difficulties.

What was the view of the CAMHS practitioner? By a 'behavioural issue' did they mean that it was a learned behaviour? Were underlying emotional issues considered? Mention of stealing would suggest something else going on here. It can be useful to carry out a functional analysis of the behaviour, i.e. to consider what function it fulfils. This could be attention, power, revenge, avoidance, a consequence of the young person's developmental level... Lots of explanations are possible and mostly wouldn't be addressed by CBT.

We never received a CAMHS appointment. They have received the 3 referrals and not acted on them. As she is not self harming, violent or displaying antisocial behaviour she is not a high priority.

TBH, I don't know quite what they meant by 'behavioural' it was just the boxes that were ticked when doing the initial assessments IIRC.. if it was behavioural she would have control over it I would think yet she can't have control as it happens when sleeping.

neneromanova wrote: »

This is in no way having a go at you and the amount of kids you have Pigpen But could it be her calling out for attention as she has 10 other kids to compete with for attention?

Just a thought

No, She started this long before there were 10.

So, in essence the general consensus is that it would most likely not help given the unidentifiable reasons?

neneromanova

Have you checked out this site at all? http://www.eric.org.uk/Bedwetting/info_bedwetting_wetting_parents

pigpen

Yes thank you it was one of the first we checked out aaaages ago Sadly they don't sell magic wands of drynights..

I hoped things might improve when she went to high school but 6 months in it hasn't .. she does love it there though.