Definition

• Wetting the bed at night while asleep
• The medical name is nocturnal enuresis

Health Information

Causes

• Most children who wet the bed have small bladders. Their bladders can’t hold all the urine made during the night.
• Also, they usually are deep sleepers. They do not wake up when their bladders are full.
• Bedwetting also runs in families (genetic).
• Bedwetting is not caused by emotional problems.

Care Advice

1. Overview:
   • Bedwetting is very common.
   • It occurs in 15% of 5 year olds.
   • It is a hard problem to cure, because it happens during sleep.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Helping a Younger Child Overcome Bedwetting:
   • The secret to becoming dry is to get up every night to urinate. In other words, every wet night was a night they forgot to get up. Remind your child before bed he should get up at night.
   • Children with frequent bedwetting usually can’t hold urine back until morning.
   • Make it easier to get to the toilet. Put a night light in the bathroom. If the bathroom is a long distance away, use a portable potty. Put it in the bedroom. Boys may just need a bucket.
   • 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 him. He must find the bathroom and use the toilet on his own.
3. Helping Your 6 year old Child: Have your child give himself a bedtime pep-talk every night about getting up:
   • Lie on your bed with your eyes closed.
   • Pretend it’s the middle of the night.
   • Pretend your bladder is full and you have to go.
   • Pretend your bladder is trying to wake you up.
   • Pretend your bladder is saying, “Get up before it’s too late.”
   • Then run to the bathroom and empty your bladder.
   • Remind yourself to get up like this during the night.
4. Helping Your 8 year old Child:
   • Buy a bedwetting alarm. They teach self-awakening and have the highest cure rate of any approach. Go to www.bedwettingstore.com for help.
   • Don’t buy an alarm until your child has learned to awaken to your voice.
   • Alarms have 2 parts. 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. Another type awakens 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 he turns in.
   • Finally, your child needs to be motivated to solve this problem. Give him some ideas, but don’t get over-involved. Your child has to solve bedwetting on his own.
5. What to Expect:
   • Most children who wet the bed stop between ages 6 and 10.
   • Even severe cases get over it as teens.
   • Once committed to using an alarm, dry nights will start to occur.

Call Your Doctor If

• Passing urine causes pain or burning
• Wetting also occurs when awake
• Not better after trying this treatment for 3 months
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Your child becomes worse

Author: Barton Schmitt MD, FAAP

Copyright 2000-2020 Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC

Disclaimer: This health information is for educational purposes only. You the reader assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it. The information contained in this handout should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. Listing of any resources does not imply an endorsement.

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