Sleepaway camp is a childhood ritual that every child should be able
to enjoy. But for children who wet the bed, sleeping away from home
can be a scary prospect. Kids who suffer from this condition are often
worried that other campers will discover their secret, or that camp
staff won’t be supportive. But the truth is that most camps are
well-prepared to help kids with this common childhood issue and camp
staff are committed to making sure every child has a great experience.
Bed-wetting beyond the average age of toilet training is called
nocturnal enuresis. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics,
3% of boys and 2% of girls are still wetting at night by age 10. Some kids won’t be dry at night until they are into their teens. The good news is that with some planning and preparation, kids who wet the bed can enjoy sleepaway camp just like their peers.
Read on for tips for preparing camp staff and your child for camp:
BEFORE CAMP
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Find the right gear
There are a variety of disposable nighttime pants on the market. For
smaller children there are Pull-Ups, which can be pulled on and off
like underwear. For bigger kids, a product called GoodNites offers
disposable bedtime pants for kids who weigh up to 125 pounds. Pull-Ups
or GoodNites are best for heavy wetters and kids who wet every night.
GoodNites also makes disposable absorbent mats which are placed on the
fitted sheet. These have adhesive tabs to keep the mat in place during
sleep. GoodNites Bed Mats are good as a backup for kids who wet only
rarely, or for those who sometimes leak out of nighttime pants. Another product by GoodNites is Tru-Fit underwear. These are cloth underwear that have a pocket inside. You place a disposable pad inside the pocket to catch the urine. The pad gets thrown away and the underwear can be machine washed. These work for kids who wet rarely and don’t flood the bed when they do wet. Although the above products are listed by brand name, there are many equivalent generic products on the market as well.
With any of these products, try them at home before camp to figure out
what works best for your child.
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Get a doctor’s advice
There are medications that can help children stay dry. If your child’s
doctor recommends trying medication, do a trial run at home before
camp to make sure it works – it doesn’t work for all kids.
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Call ahead
Call the camp ahead of your child’s session to discuss the problem and
to ask about procedures the camp may already have in place. You will
most likely find that camps are well prepared for bed-wetting. If the
camp doesn’t have a plan, create one together.
“Camp staff are really well -trained, not only in keeping kids safe,
but in building self-esteem,” says Alex, Assistant Camp Director for a
Washington State camp. “All it takes is one direct phone call to the
camp director. They will either already have a plan in place [for
bed-wetting] or you can make a plan together.”
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Choose the right pajamas
Choose sleepwear wisely so that the bulk of disposable bedtime pants
aren’t visible under the clothing. Pair loose sweat or pajama pants
with an oversized shirt that hangs low, to cover the bottom area.
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Pack plenty
Pack extra pj pants, in case the camp isn’t able to launder clothing
for campers. While discussing laundry, ask if the sleeping bag can be
washed if necessary. Some camps will do this for you. Ask about sending an extra sleeping bag. This can be placed on the bunk while the wet bag
is in the wash, so other kids won’t notice your kiddo’s sleeping bag
missing from his bed.
Consider packing a package of wet wipes for your child to clean up
with after taking off the pull-up in the morning.
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Get your kid on board
Discuss the plan with your child and make sure they are comfortable.
Reiterate that they are not the only kid with this condition and that
camp staff is there to help.
AT DROP OFF
Even if you have made a plan with the camp director, it is a good idea
to directly speak with the counselor who will be in charge of your
kid. Pull them aside for a quick private conversation to make sure
they are aware of the situation, just in case. This is also a good
time to show your camper which staff are available if they need help.
DURING CAMP
- Talk with your child about strategies. No kid wants their whole cabin to know they are wearing bed wettinggarments! There are plenty of ways to keep this private.
- Change in the bathroom. At bedtime, go into a stall and put on the
disposable pants under PJ’s. In the morning, change in the stall
again. You could even pack plastic bags for the child to wrap the
disposable pants in before tossing in the garbage, so that kids don’t
see the soaked pants in the trash can. Some counselors will wake your
child up a few minutes earlier than the rest of their cabin, so the
child can get to the bathroom first and clean up unobserved. - Hide disposable underpants inside the sleeping bag. You can easily fit
a week’s worth in the foot of a sleeping bag! After the child climbs
into their sleeping bag at bedtime, they can shimmy into the
disposable underwear inside the bag, so no one is the wiser. In the
morning, take it off in the same way, leaving it inside the bag for a
counselor to dispose of later. - If your child is a heavy wetter who often leaks out of a pull-up, or
wets very rarely, try disposable bed mats. Before camp, adhere the mat
inside the sleeping bag, then roll up as usual for bringing to camp.
Pack extras in case they need replacing, and make sure you have a plan
for your child or the counselor to take away the wet mat and replace
it with a new one.
Related
Happy Campers: Tips to help kids with their first camp experience
