Bedwetting medications

Desmopressin melt and desmopressin tablets: Desmopressin is a copy of the same messenger your child's body makes to control the amount of urine produced as they sleep. Desmopressin melt (DDAVP® MELT) is a special type of tablet that dissolves almost instantly in your child's mouth without the need for water. Desmopressin melt should be placed under the tongue one hour before bedtime.

Desmopressin is also available in regular tablets (DDAVP® Tablets, generics). The tablets are taken by mouth one hour before bedtime and may need to be taken with water so that they can be swallowed.

Desmopressin melt and desmopressin tablets help bedwetting children reduce the volume of urine they produce at night to that of a non-bedwetting child. The effect from desmopressin melt or tablets lasts from 7 to 9 hours after your child takes the medication, long enough to help children stay dry through the night.

Desmopressin was recommended for the treatment of bedwetting at an international conference co-sponsored by the World Health Organization.

Desmopressin has been shown to effectively reduce the number of wet nights suffered by bedwetting children. It can be used nightly or on a special-occasion basis - for things like sleepovers, camp or vacations. It is recommended to be used along with other non-medicinal therapies such as motivational counselling.

Children who have trouble swallowing pills can use the demopressin melt. The melt dissolves almost instantly in your child's mouth so there is no pill to swallow, also eliminating the need for it to be taken with water. This can also help to further limit the amount of fluids that your child has before bedtime.

Desmopressin can decrease the amount of urine your child produces on the same night it's taken. However, its effects stop when your child stops using the melt or tablets.

Side effects from this medication are rare, but can include headache, nausea, and abdominal pain. As well, parents should take care to give desmopressin melt or tablets as prescribed and to limit beverages before bedtime in order to maximize the medication's effectiveness and prevent complications.

Make sure that you tell your doctor about any other medication that your child is taking to ensure that there are no interactions. Desmopressin should be used with caution by children with cystic fibrosis.

Your child's doctor can explain how to slowly increase the dosage if your child does not achieve the desired level of dryness.

Talk to your doctor about which form of desmopressin is right for your child.

Tricyclic medications (imipramine): Imipramine (Tofranil®, generics) is another medication that is sometimes used to treat bedwetting. The exact mechanism of how it works isn't clear, but it's believed to either change your child's sleeping and waking patterns or affect the amount of urine in the bladder. Side effects can include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, irritability, insomnia, drowsiness, reduced appetite, sensitivity to the sun and personality changes. It is very important to give imipramine to your child as prescribed and to keep it out of the reach of children between doses, as too much can lead to a fatal overdose.

Imipramine should not be used in children with conditions such as heart problems, kidney or liver disease, history of seizures, or blood disorders. It cannot be taken at the same time as medications known as MAO inhibitors, so make sure that your child's doctor knows about all medications your child is taking.

Talk to your doctor about which medication and form of medication is right for your child.

 
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