At ages 9, 10, 11 or 12, fewer than 1 in 20 children are wetting the bed. Your child may be unusual for their age, but with your help, they'll overcome the problem faster.
It's important to do something about their bedwetting as soon as you can. Your help now will mean a great boost to their confidence and independence as they move into their teens.
It's not your fault, and it's not your child's fault. Children almost always wet the bed because their brain hasn't yet linked the feeling of needing to pee with waking. Find out more about what causes bedwetting.
You may not have known before now that a bedwetting alarm is the best way to help them stop. Don't blame yourself, but it's time to do something. Bedwetting will become harder to solve as they get older.
Children at age 9, 10, 11 and 12 are often spending more time outside the home with kids their own age. They're forming close groups of friends and wanting to achieve in hobbies, sport and school. Sleepovers and camps are common at this age.
They feel they belong to groups outside their family, like friends, a sports team or school class. A child who is still bedwetting as a preteen will know their problem is uncommon and may fear other kids will find out. This desire keep up with their peers can be great motivation to stop wetting the bed, with the right help from parents.
Every year, learning new things gets that little bit harder for children. That's why it's important to do something now to help your child if they're still bedwetting at age 9 to 12.
It's unlikely they'll overcome bedwetting at this age without your help - only 3 in 20 kids do each year. They could easily wet the bed into their teens or adulthood if they don't have help to stop.
A bedwetting alarm is the best and fastest way to end bedwetting in preteens. Most parents of kids age 9 to 12 go for the DRI Sleeper eclipse because it's wireless, comfortable and easy to use. Kids like that it's high-tech, and want to take more responsibility for using the device.
At age 9 to 12 children have a good understanding of their bodily functions, but they may think talking about them is childish or rude. They may not tell you about a problem making their bedwetting worse, like a bladder infection (UTI) or constipation.
Try to talk about bodily functions in a relaxed, frank and open way. At age 9 to 12 they may respond better to language that feels grown up, like urine rather than pee or wee.
At age 9 to 12, kids can take more responsibility for their bedwetting, like:
There's no reason for diapers (nappies) at this age except for times like sleepovers and school camps. Instead, use a Brolly Sheet to protect their mattress.
School tests and exams, sports games and grading in hobbies like music, dance or martial arts take on more importance for children ages 9 to 12. Worry and anxiety may make their bedwetting harder to solve.
To help your child feel more at ease:
Progress charts still work well with 9- to 12-year-olds. Keep it in a private place like a bedside drawer or inside a diary or notebook. Be flexible about rewards and let them change as your child gets older.
Using a bedwetting alarm is the fastest way to end bedwetting, but progress is often slower at this age. As well as dry nights, try rewarding smaller achievements, like:
The best thing you can do for your child if they're bedwetting at age 9 to 12 is to do something about it. Without help at this stage, there's a significant risk they'll wet the bed as a teen or even as an adult.
The fastest and most effective solution is a bedwetting alarm. If used as directed, up to 9 in 10 children will stop wetting the bed. Be patient - it can take older children longer to learn to stop bedwetting. But with your help, they'll get there.
The ideal alarm for children age 9 to 12 is the DRI Sleeper eclipse.
Read next: How to stop bedwettting using an alarm
Get bedwetting sorted quickly with our flagship wireless bedwetting alarm. The Eclipse is proven to work and easy to use. Preferred by older children as the sensor is small, comfortable and discreet.
The Excel is the original DRI Sleeper alarm and has been used successfully for decades by hundreds of thousands of children worldwide to solve bedwetting. This is a clip on alarm with a plug-in sensor. Ideal for younger children.