Joining your friends for a sleepover or having one at your place is definitely fun and bound to boost your popularity among other friends. However, if you’re suffering from teen incontinence, having or being part of a sleepover is the last thing you want to do. After all, what will your friends think of you if they ever found out? 

For starters, it’s always best to tell your closest friends about this issue, but that’s another discussion altogether. Yet, it’s not always that easy to take this step, especially if the next sleepover is taking place very soon. So, here are some tips to help you get through a sleepover without anyone finding out.

·         Since you’re a young adult now, you should take it on yourself to set a few trials at home before the actual sleepover. You may need the help of your parents, but at least you’ll be prepared for any sleepover and gain more control over your bladder or bowel movements.

·         Learn how you can clean after yourself discretely. Again, your parents will be able to teach you how, so ask them to do so before you start your self-training session. This will give you more confidence and ensure that you easily tackle your problem.

·         To avoid making a visible mess, suggest everyone to bring their own sleeping bag as this will give the sleepover a camp-like feel. Some of your friends will love this idea and you can probably sell it to the rest by making them a few offers they can’t refuse, such as using your new video game console as much as they want.

·         Just in case, learn how to use incontinence products, such as bed pads, in a discreet way. Find out which ones offer you the best protection and discover how you can secretly dispose of them before anyone finds out. A few helpful ideas are setting your alarm a little early or having your parent or BFF distract the rest while you smuggle these products to the trash.

·         If you’re sleeping over at friend’s place, spend a few minutes learning about your surroundings and where the closest bathroom is. You may also need to pack a flashlight so that you don’t have to switch many lights on your way to the bathroom. Other essentials you should have in your overnight bag are plastic bags for disposing of soiled underwear and disposable incontinence products, wipes to reduce any smells, and extra clothing.

·         If you have been going to a physician to help you with your incontinence issues, you can ask if you’re eligible to start medication. If your doctor prescribes any medication, make sure that you start taking it a few days before your upcoming sleepover. Doing so will help you assess whether or not they actually work.

These tips will be more effective than forcing yourself to empty your bladder and bowels every time. So, remember and follow them if you want to keep your condition a secret. However, always remember that you should trust at least one of your closest friends so that you can bear the weight of this issue easily and be able to face the rest of the world with confidence.

Teens and parents alike are more hassled by incontinence during the night. For teenagers, the idea of wetting the bed can be humiliating while getting out of bed at the night to head to the bathroom can be difficult. On the other hand, parents sleeping after a long day of work may be cranky at night and very close to saying something hurtful even if they don’t intend to.

Regardless of which side you’re on, you have to get one thing straight: you can’t cure night-time incontinence or wish it away. Now that that’s out, here is what you, as a parent or a sufferer of teen incontinence, should be doing.

For Parents Before you learn how to ensure fewer night-time incontinence “accidents”, you need to start teaching yourself a little bit of patience. You need to make sure that you don’t scold your teen no matter how tired you feel. Also, you can take turns with your spouse to ensure that you don’t turn bitter and angry every time you get up at night.

Once you’re done with tackling yourself, here are some tips to help you manage your teen’s incontinence during the night:

·         Invest in waterproof bedding so that you don’t have to worry about wet sheets and unhygienic mattress. To further ensure the protection of your child’s bed, use washable underpads or a waterproof mattress cover.

·         If you don’t have the time or energy to wash bedding or dry clean mattresses every time, you can check out numerous absorbent incontinence products and ensure that your child’s bed remains dry.

·         Make sure that your child’s path to the bathroom is clear. That way they won’t trip on their way or feel dissuaded to leave their bed because they’re worried about falling. You can also install nightlights from your teen’s room to the bathroom so that they can see clearly.

In addition to these tips, consider talking to your child about using night-time incontinence products like disposable briefs, protective underwear and washable pants that come with disposable pads. These are less awkward to use in comparison with adult diapers, so your child won’t feel too embarrassed using them.

For Teens You may have feared night-time incontinence, especially since it makes you feel like a bedwetting baby. However, incontinence was never your choice and you can’t cure yourself completely from it yet. Therefore, here are some tips to help you manage this issue without making you feel conspicuous:

·         Avoid caffeinated and carbonated drinks hours before you sleep. You can also reduce your liquid intake three hours before you sleep so that you have a relatively less full bladder. However, don’t forgo drinking water altogether or else dehydration will affect your bladder even worse.

·         You probably didn’t know this, but you can retrain your bladder and increase its capacity. Simply use the bathroom every hour throughout the day and don’t go when you’re not scheduled to. Slowly start increasing the time period between bathroom breaks until you can control your bladder more effectively.

·         Consider emptying your bladder twice before you head to bed. This will reduce your chances of a wet night,

·         Be open to using absorbent undergarments and bedding. Your parents will suggest them to you, so don’t feel as if they’re trying to get rid of your responsibility. In fact, as these are easy to dispose of and clean, you can handle them on your own rather than have your parents involved.

Aside from these measures, parents and teens alike need to talk to the physician regularly so that they can have medical guidance as well. So, don’t cut your doctor out of the equation and be open to everything to be able to manage your or teen’s incontinence.