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Saturday, October 16, 2010 – Daily News – 5A FEATURES Sudden-onset bedwetting needs testing Sexagenarian seeks stud suitor DEAR DR. GOTT: My son is 12 years old and had never wet the bed until recently. Now, all of a sudden, he has wet the bed for the past seven nights in a row. We have taken him to see a doctor, but thus far they have taken a urine sample that came back normal. lead to embarrassment, anxiety and frustration. DEAR READER: Bedwet- ting, also known as nighttime incontinence or nocturnal enuresis, is common in children up to age 6 or 7. This is because blad- der control may not be fully estab- lished, meaning the bladder may not signal that it is full, causing the child not to know that he or she needs to uri- nate. Most children outgrow bedwetting on their own. By age 5, 15 percent of children wet the bed, and this is further reduced to less than 5 percent of chil- dren between ages 8 and 11. It affects boy more than girls. ADHD and a fam- ily history of bedwetting increase the child’s risk. Most cases of bedwetting are simply due to a slow development of the cen- tral nervous system. It may also be the result of a small bladder, a hormone imbalance, urinary-tract infection, dia- betes, sleep apnea, chronic constipa- tion, stress or a defect in the neurolog- ical or urinary system. It is never the result of the child being too lazy to get out of bed at night or being unclean. Because your son is 12 and didn’t previously wet the bed on a regular basis, his pediatrician or a pediatric urologist should examine him to deter- mine whether there is an underlying reason. You said your son had a urine sample taken but don’t mention what he was tested for. There are different types of urine tests with the most basic done in office with the aid of a small testing strip to determine if there are abnormal levels of protein, white blood cells, etc. This test is insufficient at detecting an infection; therefore, he should undergo a clean-catch urine test, which will then be sent to a labo- ratory to check for bacteria. If present, the lab will then determine which antibiotic will be most effective in eliminating the infection. It will also be important to notify the physician of any other symptoms he may be having, even if they seem to be unrelated. For example, snoring may be a sign of sleep apnea, which can cause difficulty waking up, resulting in possi- ble bedwetting should the urge occur at night. You should also be prepared for the physicians to rule out sexual abuse, because sudden-onset bedwetting can be a sign in children and teens. Treatment isn’t necessary in most cases but varies depending on the cause in those instances when it is. It is most important to be calm and under- standing with the child, because there is no control of the occurrence that can Dr. Peter Gott Moisture alarms are small, battery-operated devices avail- able at most pharmacies that connect to a moisture-sensitive pad on the child’s bed or paja- mas and go off in the presence of moisture. This may help a child wake up in time to stop the flow of urine and get to a toilet before completely emp- tying the bladder in bed. If the child is a heavy sleeper, he or she may not hear the alarm, nor wake up in the presence of wetness, so a parent should listen in order to get the child awake and cleaned up before any prolonged contact that can lead to skin irritation. Over time, the brain and bladder will begin to retrain to recognize the urgency and awaken the child before an accident can occur. This can take up to 12 weeks, so it is important to be patient. Treating any underlying cause should also be beneficial in reducing or eliminating bedwetting. If time and retraining don’t help, medication may help. Desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) can boost natural levels of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which slows nighttime urine produc- tion. It does carry the serious side effect of seizures so it’s not prescribed for minor cases of bedwetting if other remedies are appropriate. Another medication is a class of drugs known as anticholinergics, which calm the blad- der and are often prescribed to treat overactive bladder. A final option is imipramine, which may change the child’s sleep/waking pattern and increase the amount of time that urine can be held or reduce the amount of urine produced. Because it is an anti- depressant, it may adversely affect mood and overdose can be fatal, so caution must be used. Home remedies include avoiding caffeinated foods and beverages in the evening, limiting all fluid intake at night, urinating on a schedule during the day and double voiding before bed (once at the start of the bedtime routine and again just before falling asleep). It may also be helpful to set up a routine for times when there are bed- wetting accidents. This includes using plastic covers over the mattress (under the sheets), using thick, absorbent underwear to reduce urine leakage onto the bedding, and keeping an extra set of pajamas and bedding nearby for quick change. Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,” “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com. Formerly The Daily News’ annual “Future Ad Designers” Contest Through a Child’s Eyes… A special contest bringing Tehama County school children and local businesses together … to the delight of Daily News readers! This year held earlier – to allow publication in the Daily News’ THANKSGIVING DAY EDITION! • Participating businesses agree to let school children in grades 2-8 create and draw a special ad for them. • Businesses choose the winner from the ads drawn by the children. • Winning children’s ads appear in a special broadsheet section of The Daily News on Thanksgiving Day, one for each participating business. • First and Second place winners in three separate age categories receive cash awards and special recognition in the broadsheet section. • Ads published are the same size (apx. 5” wide x 3 1/4” tall) Business Operators: Deadline to commit to participate: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21 …so we can provide list of businesses to local classrooms Business Sponsorship/Advertising cost: $8950 Nominal additional charge of $7.00 for publication in the Daily News Online Digital Edition Call your Advertising Representative TODAY! RED BLUFF D NEWSAILY 527-2151 TEHAMACOUNTY OC O C O S C advertise@redbluffdailynews.com Veronica received a certificate of excellence and a gift certificate donated from Baskin Robbins. Dr. Clark received a certificate of excellence and a gift certificate donated from the Palomino Room. Dear Annie: I am a 66-year-old woman. I took care of my hus- band for many years before he died. We loved each other deeply. But because of his illness, there was no sex for the last 10 years of his life. Annie’s Mailbox I am now with a man who is 49. He says he loves me and that I’m desirable, but in two years, he hasn’t tried even once to make love to me. He has all kinds of excuses, but I’m fed up with not having a partner. I’m unhappy and depressed. We hardly share the same bed, since he falls asleep every night watching TV in the recliner. He has health prob- lems, but not so bad that there should be no inti- macy. Should we go to counseling or call it quits? — Lonely in Cali- fornia Dear Lonely: When a 49-year-old man has no interest in sex, there is often a medical reason, such as low testosterone. Ask him to see his doctor and have his levels checked. However, if he hasn’t shown any interest in intimacy in two years and makes no effort to do anything about it, we don’t hold out much hope. Dear Annie: My hus- band and I have been married for 15 years. For financial reasons, we are only able to afford one vacation a year, so we always visit his parents, who live five hours away. Since having children, the family home is too crowded, so we end up in by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar a hotel, making it more expensive. But I believe my in-laws deserve these visits, and they are good for our children. I have to admit, however, that I am tired of never going any- where else. My husband’s father passed away two years ago, and his mother has Alzheimer’s. She is in excellent physical health and has assistants in her home every day, plus occasional visits from my sister-in-law. Still, Mom will probably need to be in a nursing home within a year or two. My question is, when it’s time for her to be moved, would it be appropriate to suggest we bring her to our town? My reason, sadly, is somewhat selfish. Having her here would allow us to see her frequently, and we could still take an annual vacation some- where else. I don’t want to offend my husband by asking. Am I wrong to think this way? — Selfish Wife Dear Wife: Not at all. You are simply phrasing it incorrectly. The point of moving Mom to your area is to be closer to her, to keep an eye on her care and to be able to see her more often. We doubt your husband would object. In fact, when par- ents require more demanding care, many children encourage them to move closer for pre- cisely those reasons. You should not only suggest this to your husband, but he should discuss it with his sister. It’s time. Dear Annie: I read the letter from ‘‘Washing- ton,’’ whose boyfriend’s sisters are overweight and have body odor. I am a teacher. One year, I had a student with an odor problem that required airing out the room when he left. I approached the school nurse, the school coun- selor and a relative of the young man who hap- pened to work at the school and suggested they speak to him. Sever- al changes were made, but the smell persisted. We discovered that due to his obesity, moisture was trapped under the folds of skin, and it created an environment for yeast to grow. Once this was treated, the odor sub- sided. Those with such problems need to dry themselves quite thor- oughly after showering and put powder under the folds of skin, especially in the summer. This could be the problem for those sisters. Approaching them about it with sensitivity may be difficult, but she could be doing them a favor. — Been There in New York State Dear NYS: If one is willing to approach such a subject with kindness, it can be tremendously helpful. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.n et, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. W. Join the Job Training Center in celebrating great customer service this October. Secret Shoppers have been visiting all types of businesses throughout the county. While there were plenty of honorable mentions, just twelve are selected who go above and beyond. We celebrate them this week. Dr. Ron Clark, DDS Ron Clark Dentistry, Red Bluff Whatever It Takes Attitude and Curbside Appeal Great customer service mean providing an experience, and includes making your (curb appeal), environment pleasant. Several Secret Shoppers nominated Dr. Clark. Not only does Dr. Clark and his staff provide great patient care inside the office, their curb appeal is outstanding. Even Roger Brooks noticed the Washington Street office and used it as it as a prime example of doing things right at the recent branding session at Rolling Hills. In addition, Dr. Clark and his crew have been spotted removing graffiti from Main Street and power washing sidewalks and gutters. Jack’s Restaurant, Los Molinos Helping the staff provide great service Salvador works six days a week as the cook at Jack’s Restaurant in Los Molinos. The Secret Shopper eats their often and knows the food will always be good. I’m mostly there in the mornings for breakfast. The entire staff is friendly and the place is very family oriented. I think Sal is a great strength. His cooking skills and timing help staff provide great service in the restaurant, and I think those behind the scenes people should be recognized. Sal received a certificate of excellence and a gift certificate donated from Dutch Bros. and Prime Cinemas. Veronica Owens, Hostess M & M Ranch House, Red Bluff Enthusiasm and warmth Veronica is a fairly new employee at M & M Ranch House, but she quickly has learned how to provide great service. According to the Secret Shopper, Veronica is bubbly, cheerful and extremely friendly. She greets everyone, makes it a point to engage everyone in conversation and calls many of the customers by name. She’s also fast and follows up with her customers for additional needs. She makes her customers feel that she’s glad they are in the restaurant and makes them feel special. Salvador Gonzalez, Cook