Attending a week long sleep-over camp is one of the most exciting yet terrifying experiences for a child suffering from bedwetting. With some simple steps, however, a boy or girl who wets the bed can enjoy a fun-filled week at camp while maintaining their dignity and dry sheets.
Most medical forms for camps require that the parents note on the form if their child suffers from bedwetting. Since many parents are embarrassed, oftentimes this section is marked as “No” even when the opposite is true. This had led to several “accidents” at every camp and most camps take measures to protect bunk beds and mattresses whether parents noted it or not.
If your child is staying over at a camp that uses cabins and bunk beds, most bunk beds will already have the mattress enclosed in plastic sheeting. Many times it takes a night without sleep just to get used to the rustling around of the 20+ kids on their plastic-covered mattresses.
When you arrive at the camp and check in to meet your child’s counselor, while your child is unpacking you can quietly pull the counselor aside and explain to them that your child wets the bed and that you hope the counselor will handle the problem delicately. Most kids who wet the bed will choose to take along protective underpants rather than a full fitted brief. Pack a number of Ziploc bags for your child as well.
Most camp-age children are self-conscious about changing clothes in front of other children and will do so in their sleeping bag. This will allow your child to slip the underpants on like underwear and also off in the morning. By keeping a Ziploc bag also in their sleeping bag, they can put it in, zip it up, and dispose of it. Many times disposing of the used pant is the toughest because there are always kids in the cabin going in and out. One mother reported that when she picked up her son, the entire week’s worth of bags were in the sleeping bag rolled up! Talk with your child’s counselor about disposing of the underpant. Many times a cabin will have two counselors and one will lead the kids to flag-raising and one stays behind for a few minutes to close the cabin. Ask that counselor if they can throw the used underpant away in a discreet place.
It is important to talk to your child about personal hygiene while they are at camp. The usual lecture about brushing their teeth applies, but for children who wet the bed, the added necessity of washing themselves and being clean is rather evident. Make sure your child understands that leaving any trace of urine on their skin will eventually start to smell and that they should take a shower and/or go swimming every day. In addition, young skin that has urine on it can become severely agitated when rubbed up against by shorts.
Many children fear going to camp because they think the camp’s nurse will have to “change their diaper,” get them ready for bed, or store their absorbent product for them in the health lodge, making them walk all the way up, put on their protection and then back. Then of course they will have to explain it to their friends and fellow campers in the cabin. While nurses do want to be advised of the situation, most prefer the children take it upon themselves to get ready for bed.
Going to an extended overnight camp is a great experience for every boy and girl. Do not let bedwetting at summer camp interfere with enjoying this activity. Always remind your child they are in control.