Incontinence & Overactive Bladder Health Center
Related to Incontinence & Overactive Bladder (OAB)
Bedwetting in Children
Treatments for Incontinence & Overactive Bladder (OAB)
Copyright © 2010 Woodbury Health Products All rights reserved.

1-800-777-1111
Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm EST
Believe it or not, there are few problems that have the potential to disrupt a parent-child relationship than that of bed-wetting, otherwise known as nocturnal enuresis. Night after night, perhaps year after year, of wet bed sheets, blankets and PJs strains the patience of parents and a repetitive source of embarrassment and humiliation to the child, most often a boy.

Bedwetting, for most children, ends by the age of 3 to 4, with boys lagging behind girls in achieving this milestone. For those children who take longer to wake up dry, a very small percentage of them have a legitimate problem that may be due to a urinary tract infection or an undiscovered defect in their urine elimination system.
Research points to a sleep disorder, which could possibly contribute to nighttime wetting. The belief is that deep sleep inhibits the normal signal of a full bladder that would normally be sent to the brain. Often times, there is a family history of this, and both parents should inquire of one another's past to determine if this is so.

The reality is that these children who wet the bed beyond the years, we would expect, will someday become continent at night. Treatment methods become a subject of negotiation. For example, sleepovers at a friend's or relative's home may require special consideration.

Tips to help your bedwetting child:
  • Restricting fluid intake before bedtime. Don’t stop fluid intake in the afternoon. Instead, limit fluid after 6 or 7PM for an older child.
  • A prescription nasal spray can be used that safely affects kidney function, resulting in reduced urine volume at night. This works for some, and not for others.
  • Bed-wetting alarms are used to awaken the child when small amounts of urine are sensed, and the child is triggered to get up to void. This is a method that would be presented to an older child who would agree to the use of the alarm. It can be very startling and scary for a child who does not understand the impact of a loud alarm that was meant to train them to be continent.
  • Have patience. Use a vinyl or plastic cover for the child's mattress and ask the child to help change the bed and wash the sheets on the mornings after bed-wetting has occurred, without becoming angered or punishing your child. This might be a huge challenge. However, the child is not doing this on purpose, and bed-wetting is not associated with any personality defects or lack of ability.
  • Work with your child to find the right products that will help them wake up in a dry bed. There are many choices of disposable and washable products that will help your child feel confident, despite their bedwetting.