Information on Bed-wetting

Bed-wetting is very common in younger kids, in fact, it is so common that it is even considered normal before age 5," Greene says. "Nighttime dryness is the last part of toilet learning that kids achieve," he adds. At ages 6 and below, bed-wetting only needs to be addressed if the child is feeling really bad about himself as a result, he says.

When one of your children is a bed wetter, it can be a very sensitive topic. You want your child to know it's just a part of growing up and that there's nothing wrong with them. You have to crack down on siblings who like to give them a hard time.

"As adults, when the bladder gets full, it sends a signal to brain to wake up or you start dreaming about water or going to bathroom and then you wake up, but for kids the signal isn't quite strong enough to get them awake," Greene says.

Bed-wetting can be both uncomfortable and embarrassing for a child. Thankfully, almost all kids outgrow it in time. But chances are you will feel compelled to do something while you wait. What follows are the best bed-wetting remedies currently available—other than time.

Many children with bed-wetting will improve with time and for reasons that are not understood. It is important to tell your child that it is a temporary condition. Many children who wet the bed do not feel very good about themselves.
Sometimes parents can place blame on their children who bed-wet, either knowingly or unknowingly. It is important to be patient with a child who bed-wets. A child does not wet the bed on purpose.

In all children, the development of bladder function control and night-time urine production is a slow process, so most children are affected up to the age of three. In fact, bed-wetting is quite common up to the age of eight. In most cases there's a delay in the development of the normal pathways of bladder function control within the brain and nervous system, which eventually mature.

Primary nocturnal enuresis is the most common form of bedwetting and is experienced by over five million children in the US alone. While many people attribute bedwetting to behavioral problems or stress, the truth of the matter is that bedwetting is often an inherited trait.

Chronic bed-wetting is thought to be related to (1) a physically and/or neurologically immature bladder and/or (2) a deep sleeping pattern. Apparently these children often sleep so deeply that they are not aware of the message the bladder sends to the brain saying it is full. It is presumed that bed-wetting is an inherited condition. Usually a parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent or other family member(s) will have had the condition. Also, children with attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities or allergies seem to be more likely to be bed-wetters than children in the general population.

Don't blame the child or punish them, but take practical steps, such as putting a waterproof sheet on the bed. An enuresis alarm can help condition the child into getting up at night to pass urine. These can be purchased from ERIC (see below) or borrowed from a local enuresis clinic. However, one in three children relapse after a few months.

Ending the bedwetting is not the only objective of a proper correction. The enuretic(bedwetter) has the opportunity to sleep better and more normal as the result of a proper correction. This enables them to have a better quality of life and can enhance their self-esteem and self-image.

Bedwetting usually resolves itself by the age of about seven or slightly later. About 1 in 7 children aged five, and 1 in 20 children aged ten wet the bed. It is more common in boys than girls.
Bedwetting can also affect children older than six or seven. With advice from your GP, parents can try various techniques to sort out the problem. It's very important not to punish the child or make them worried about the bedwetting.