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About Bedwetting
Nocturnal Enuresis is wetting the bed at night while asleep.
Most children learn to use the toilet between 2 and 4 years of age.
Even after children are toilet-trained, they may wet the bed until they are older.
Bedwetting is very common. It occurs in 15% of 5-year-olds.
It's even common for 6-year-olds to wet the bed occasionally. Some children still wet the bed at age 12.
Bedwetting usually resolves as your child grows older.
Talk with the doctor if you or your child is worried about bedwetting.
Always check with a doctor first to rule out medical issues like constipation or infections.
Consistency and patience are key.
Causes
Children have small bladders.
Their bladders can’t hold all the urine made during the night.
They are usually deep sleepers.
Bedwetting runs in families (genetic).
Most children who wet the bed have at least one parent who did it as a child.
Your child has trouble passing stool (poop). This can put pressure on the bladder.
Your child has a minor illness, is very tired, or is going through changes or stress at home.
Tips to Manage Bedwetting
Protect the bed
Put a plastic cover under the sheets.
Have your child use the toilet just before bedtime.
Wake your child up to use the toilet
1 or 2 hours after going to sleep.
Reward your child for dry nights.
Try a star chart, but do not punish your child for wet nights.
Set a no-teasing rule in your family.
Let others know that it's not the child's fault.
Don't make bedwetting a big issue.
If you don’t make it a big deal, your child won't either.
Make it easier to get to the toilet.
Put a night light in the bathroom. If the bathroom is far away, use a portable potty in the bedroom.
Parent awakening
On some nights, wake your child up when you go to bed. To make this a learning experience, however, your only job is to awaken them. They must find the bathroom and use the toilet on their own.
Bedwetting Training
Fluid Management
Encourage drinking water throughout the day.
Limit fluids 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Avoid bladder irritants like caffeine, soda, and citrus.
Double Voiding
Have your child urinate, wait a few minutes, then try to go again right before getting into bed.
Scheduled Waking
Gently wake your child to use the toilet once or twice during the night, gradually adjusting the time.
Nightlights & Easy Access
Use nightlights so they can find the bathroom.
Address Daytime Habits
Ensure they are using the toilet every 2-3 hours during the day and are emptying their bladder fully.
Bedwetting Alarm
A bedwetting alarm works best in a child older than age 7.
Children at this age often lack the signal awareness to wake up to a full bladder, which is the main problem alarms solve.
It teaches their brain to rouse them at the first sign of moisture, a skill they haven't developed yet.
The alarm goes off when it gets wet. Your child learns to wake up to use the toilet.
They have the highest cure rate of any approach.
Go to www.bedwettingstore.com for help.
Over time, this helps a child stay dry at night.
Don’t give up. It can take weeks or months to work.
Bedwetting alarms work best for children who have some dry nights.
Don’t buy an alarm until your child has learned to awaken to your voice.
The moisture sensor attaches to the underwear. It is triggered by just a few drops of urine.
Most alarms turn on a loud sound that awakens your child.
Some alarms awaken the child by vibrations. Some alarms do both.
Your child needs to operate the alarm by himself.
If you can’t afford an enuresis alarm, consider using an alarm clock. Set it for three or four hours after they go to bed.
Summary of Bedwetting
Most children stop bedwetting between ages 6 and 10.
Even the most severe cases usually get better as teenagers.
First, start with behavioral intervention and then move on to tools such as bedwetting alarms to help your child.
Medicine can be used if needed to be dry at a sleepover camp.
Tell your child that wetting the bed is not their fault.
Call Your Doctor If
Your child has been completely toilet-trained for more than 6 months AND Your child starts wetting the bed again
Wetting also occurs when awake
Your child is not better after trying this treatment for 3 months
You think your child needs to be seen
Your child becomes worse
Reviewed by SC MD, JW MD, Patient Education Committee.