What to Know about Children’s Nighttime Bedwetting

Toilet training can be a stressful process. This is particularly the case for children who achieve daytime dryness but continue to wet themselves — and the bed — overnight. It may leave you wondering what’s normal and what you can do to help your child. Nighttime wetting is one of the most common urologic conditions in childhood. The vast majority of cases are not related to a physical cause. Most commonly, nighttime wetting happens in children who are very deep sleepers; their brains and bladders aren’t communicating as they should while they sleep. It is not your child’s fault. One of the most valuable things you can do is provide your child reassurance. It is important that your child knows that he or she is not alone. Nighttime wetting is very common, and likely occurring in at least one or two other kids in his or her class. Your child may feel alone, embarrassed or ashamed about wetting at night, so providing reassurance is key. The majority of children with nighttime wetting will outgrow this on their own. It is important to keep your child’s bladder happy. A happy bladder during the day will lead to a happy bladder at night, which increases the likelihood of nighttime wetting resolving on its own. Our bladders are designed to fill and empty regularly throughout the day. Children often are restricted access to the bathroom at school, and therefore, drink much less and urinate infrequently during the day. These behaviors can make bladders irritable,...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Tags: Children and Teens General Health-related Parenting bedwetting bladder Dehydration enuresis toilet training Source Type: blogs