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What is bed-wetting?
Bed-wetting is accidental urination during sleep. Accidental wetting of clothes or bedding is common in young children and is not a concern because children develop bladder control at different rates. Usually, daytime bladder control occurs before nighttime control. Most children are able to control their bladders and stop bed-wetting by age 5 or 6. Bed-wetting that develops or continues after a child is expected to have nighttime bladder control is called nocturnal enuresis.
What causes bed-wetting?
Children over age 5 or 6 are said to have primary nocturnal enuresis if they are unable to maintain nighttime bladder control for more than 6 months in a row. Bed-wetting that develops after a child has been dry for a period of time (secondary nocturnal enuresis) may be caused by a medical condition, such as diabetes , or emotional stress. If a child's bed-wetting is caused by a medical condition, treatment for the condition may be needed.
In general, there is no single cause for bed-wetting. Most often the problem is due to a combination of several possible causes, including:
- Delayed growth and development.
- Small bladder capacity.
- Lack of enough antidiuretic hormone (ADH).
- Sound sleeping.
- Psychological and social factors.
Most children stop wetting the bed as a natural part of growing up. It is usually not a cause for concern.
How is bed-wetting treated?
Treatment usually is not needed for bed-wetting. Most children who wet the bed develop bladder control over time without treatment.
Bed-wetting (primary nocturnal enuresis) in children older than 7 or 8 years may be treated if it occurs at least twice a week for at least 3 months and is affecting the child's performance in school or relationships with peers. Treatment includes educating the parents and child about what is normal and expected and how the urinary system works. Treatment methods may involve praise and encouragement, a moisture alarm, behavioral therapy, or medication. Often a combination of treatment methods is used.
What can I do to help my child who wets the bed?
Help your child understand that overcoming this problem is a natural part of growing up. Punishment or shame are never appropriate responses—remember that your child is not wetting the bed on purpose, either consciously or subconsciously.
What about daytime wetting?
When a child who has been toilet-trained accidentally wets during the day (diurnal enuresis), there often is a different cause and sometimes different treatment options than for bed-wetting. This topic is mainly about nighttime wetting.
