Parental guidance: Readers on bed-wetting

My Dec. 7 column about a nearly 10-year-old boy who still wets his bed drew empathy and suggestions from readers. Names have been withheld at the writers' requests to avoid embarrassment:

"My now 23-year-old stepson was a bed wetter. All types of treatments were prescribed, including medication, fluid restrictions and behavior modification. When my stepson was 15, I came across an article that asserted sleep-apnea was a cause of bed-wetting. An ear, nose and throat specialist determined my stepson's airway was 'the size of a straw.' He was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. He had a tonsillectomy, and the bed wetting stopped immediately."

-- Mom from Manorville

"My daughter suffered also, and the alarm worked for only a short time. In the end, she had sleep apnea, and her bed wetting ended immediately."

-- Mom from Kings Park

"I, too, had that problem. What finally worked was some advice from our family doctor. He concluded that my bladder was weak and needed to be stretched and strengthened. I did this by holding out as long as I possibly could before urinating. Often, I would stand over the toilet and still hold out before going. It worked for me."

And from Lyle Danuloff, research director at the Michigan-based Enuresis Center (nobedwetting.com): "Thirty six years of treating bed wetting supports the real cause of bed wetting: the deep sleep that prevents the brain from responding."