Changing diapers of our little one is an important part of parenthood. It fills our heart with joy in seeing our baby sleep calmly with his wetness-absorbing diapers on. While your baby is learning to become independent in maintaining his hygiene, you develop a strong bond with him which remains forever. The way it is necessary for us to take care of our child’s daily cleaning requirements when he is little, it is also important that he can do the job himself when he grows up.
14 year old in diapers
If you have discontinued the use of diapers for your child long ago, finding a pack in his room will give you a sudden shock. Your child has entered teenage and is still dependent on diapers. This surely is a cause of concern. As a parent, you need to get into the depth of the problem to help your child become independent again.
What to do if you find diapers in your child’s room?
If your 14-year old is wearing diapers secretly, you need to calm yourself first and then talk to your child. Normally, children are ashamed of talking about their habit of wearing diapers and that is purely the reason for keeping it a secret.
Once you are in a relaxed frame of mind, have a deep conversation with your child at a secluded place. Comfort him about the situation and encourage him to share his point of view. This will help you know the reason of your child wearing diapers at such age.
On knowing the actual reason, you can address the issue at your level first. Later, you can involve a doctor, if the need arises.
Why a 14-year-old wear diapers?
If your child, whether a girl or boy, is wearing a diaper at the age of 14 years, you must first understand the real problem behind this action. It will help you solve the matter easily. Let us discuss the causes of this problem:
- Adult Baby Syndrome
It is a rare disorder in which the grown-up child finds pleasure in receiving special treatment like an infant. The fetish might make your child demand a feeding bottle, baby toys, and wet nursing. He might babble like a baby and role-play an infant.
Though there are no known risks associated with this syndrome, you must get your child out of this medical problem to make his life normal. The disease can be treated with psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy. Various medications including mood stabilizers, anti-androgens, and anti-depressants are also useful in the course.
- Depression
It is normal for teens to experience depression due to faster hormonal changes they experience. Your baby might feel neglected as you are not spending much time with him as you used to do earlier when he was little. He is not able to understand that you are making him independent and trying to let him experience his journey of life the way he feels right.
Other factors of depression might relate to new sleeping and eating routine, feeling worthless in life, lack of energy or irritability. Early detection of these symptoms helps prevent your child from the dark route of depression.
Treatment of depression involves face-to-face interaction with your child. You will need to understand the true feelings of your child. Give him your full attention and praise for all his accomplishments, however small. Do not punish a depressed child ever or you might lose him forever. If the situation does not get better with time, you must consult a psychologist to bring back the happiness of your kid.
- Bed-wetting
Your 14-year old might be wearing diapers due to the problem of bed-wetting. This can happen when a child’s bladder does not function properly. It is a medical problem which your teen is embarrassed to talk to you about. Over time, it can lead to anxiety and the feeling of helplessness.
To treat this problem, you need to carefully talk to your child about the issue and comfort him to share the details with you. As he is going through a tough phase in his life, he might not readily share the information with you. Some children put a veil of comfort on their face and act as if nothing has happened while others become very quiet and shy due to this problem. However, your child reacts, do not forget that he is that little life you took responsibility for. Ensure that you are always there with him and will resolve the issue soon.
You can take a few precautions which will help reduce the discomfort your child feels:
- Reduce liquid intake before bed
It is advised not to burden the weak bladder with plenty of liquids. Cut down the amount of liquid intake just before bed. If your child’s bladder is not overly full, he might not require to pee in the middle of the night.
- Set night alarms
Setting a few night alarms can solve your child’s problem of bed-wetting quite fast. As the alarm bells, you can take your child to the toilet room and ease his bladder. This will prevent your kid from facing further bladder related problems in the long run. It will also save him from the mental issues originating from the embarrassment of wearing a diaper.
- Medication
If the problem persists for long, you must consult a doctor to treat your child. Some medicines increase the holding capacity of the bladder. Other medications for bed-wetting are known to reduce the amount of urine formed during the night.
Final Words
Everyone has a secret. It is normal if your child has one too. Do not judge your child based on his desire to wear diapers in his teens. If you want to protect him from the embarrassment he might receive in the future, you need to work on your child slowly and carefully. Children in their teens do not like to be told what they should or shouldn’t do. So, if you feel the situation is getting worse with your involvement, consult a psychologist immediately.
On the other hand, if your child is willing to leave this habit but is not able to do so due to some medical reasons, you must take the help of a doctor to solve the problem.