Is
it normal for my child to wet the bed at night?Yes, it can
be normal. Wetting the bed at night is common in young children. By age 4, most
children can control their bladder when they are awake. But it can take longer
for children to have control over their bladder when they are sleeping. Some
children do not stop wetting the bed at night until they are 5 to 7 years old.
Bedwetting is more common in boys than in girls, and can run in families.
Most
children will stop bedwetting on their own and do not need any treatment. But
if you are worried or have questions about your child's bedwetting, talk with
your child's doctor or nurse.
Why
do children wet the bed?Bedwetting is most likely to happen when:
●A child's bladder muscles develop more slowly than usual.
●A child's bladder holds a smaller-than-normal amount of urine.
●A child's body makes a lot of urine.
Most
of the time, bedwetting is not caused by a medical or emotional problem. In
some cases, though, it is. Your child's doctor or nurse should be able to tell
if your child's bedwetting is caused by a medical problem.
What
can I do to try to stop my child's bedwetting?You can try
different things at home to stop your child's bedwetting:
●Have your child urinate before going to bed. Remind them to wake
up and use the toilet when needed.
●Put night lights in the hall and bathroom so your child can find
the toilet easily.
●Stop using diapers or training pants at home, especially if your
child is older than 8. Your child can still wear them for overnight visits with
family and friends.
●Have your child help with clean up in the morning. For example,
they can take the wet sheet off of the bed or help with laundry.
●Keep a chart of your child's progress, and give rewards when
your child stays dry. You and your child should agree on the rewards ahead of
time.
●Spread out your child's drinks over the whole day. Do not have
your child drink a lot right before bedtime.
●Avoid drinks with a lot of sugar or caffeine.
●Use a nighttime bedwetting alarm. These have special sensors
that set off an alarm when the child wets the bed. They work best in children
ages 6 and older. Talk with your child's doctor or nurse about which type of
alarm is best for your child and how to use it.
For
any of these plans to work, both you and your child must want the bedwetting to
stop. Stopping bedwetting can be very hard to do and can take a long time.
Remember
that children cannot help their bedwetting. Never get mad at, punish, or tease
your child for wetting the bed.
Is
there anything else I can do?Yes. To keep your
child's bed clean and dry:
●Use a waterproof sheet to protect the mattress and avoid urine
odor.
●When your child wets the bed at night, have them use the toilet
before putting on dry pajamas. Then, put a dry towel on the wet part of the
bed.
●Make the bed in layers, alternating sheets with waterproof pads.
Then, when your child wets the bed, you can just take the wet sheet off without
needing to re-make the bed.
When
should my child see a doctor or nurse?Bring your child to
the doctor or nurse if they:
●Feel the need to urinate more than usual
●Are more thirsty than usual
●Have a burning feeling when they urinate
●Have swelling of their feet or ankles
●Start wetting the bed again after being dry for weeks or months
These
symptoms can be a sign of a medical problem. Your child's doctor or nurse will
want to check them. They will do an exam and might order tests, including a
urine test.
Are
there medicines that can reduce bedwetting?Yes. There are
medicines doctors can prescribe to reduce bedwetting. Medicines are usually not
given until children are at least 6 years old and have already tried other ways
to stop bedwetting.