When you lie down to sleep at night, you probably don't even think about the possibility of waking up cold and wet in the morning. Unfortunately, as many as seven million children in the United States do.

Nocturnal enuresis, commonly known as bedwetting, occurs when a sleeping child cannot control his bladder during the night. There is no single cause for this involuntary urination, but researchers believe one of the most common reasons may be underdeveloped bladders. The one thing everyone agrees on is that it is not a willful misbehavior by the child. "Every child would rather wake up dry than wet," says Renee Mercer, MSN, certified pediatric nurse practitioner at Enuresis Associates in Maryland. "They really try to stop wetting the bed, but it's not in their control."

One way to ease the discomfort for children suffering with this condition is through the use of disposable absorbent underpants. There are many products available today, ranging from Pull-ups® training pants for smaller children to Goodnites® absorbent underpants designed specifically for older children who are dealing with enuresis. Dr. Steven Docimo, head of the Urology Department at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, says these products are wonderful for children. "Waking up in a cold, wet bed has no conditioning effect," he says, noting that disposable underpants make for "one less chore for parents in the morning."

Experts from the National Kidney Foundation agree. "Using absorbent products at night to protect the bed will often reduce the frustration level of a parent and/or child waking to wet sheets," they say. And although many parents believe using these products may prolong the bedwetting, Dr. Docimo reassures that "there is no evidence that it takes longer to grow out of bedwetting if a child wears absorbent pants."

Disposable undergarments also may help reduce the frustrations and stigma of bedwetting in older children. Many children who were previously nervous about attending sleepovers or overnight camps have found confidence using absorbent underwear. When I wear [the disposable underwear] I don't have to worry about wetting my pajamas, the sheets or my friend's floor," says one enuresis sufferer. "I'm not afraid to spend the night anymore."

There are some things to note when using these products, especially if a child is undergoing treatment for the condition. For example, Mercer often uses a wetness alarm to help the children in her care. This device uses a sensor that is placed in a child's underpants to detect wetness. When the child starts to urinate in his sleep, an alarm is sounded to wake the child and alert him of his need to use the bathroom.

Dr. Max Maizels, professor of urology at Northwestern University Medical School and author of Getting to Dry: How to Help Your Child Overcome Bedwetting (Harvard Common Press, 1999), offers a solution. "A child can wear the disposable pants over a pair of regular underwear," he says. "That way, the sensor will still react normally to the wetness, but the bed will stay dry."

Nocturnal enuresis is a common problem that takes time to be resolved. But the good news is that 15 percent of bedwetting children outgrow the condition every year. Using absorbent products such as Goodnites® absorbent underpants can help ease your child's discomfort and give him hope for a dry morning.