HealthyCanada.com

Overview

Bedwetting or enuresis is the unintentional discharge of urine during the night. It is fairly common in childhood. About 10 per cent of five year olds wet the bed. By the age of 10 the number drops to 5 per cent and by 15 to just 1 percent. A few people continue to wet the bed as adults.

Causes

Bedwetting tends to run in families but the causes are not entirely known. In some cases it may be that the person's bladder has less capacity than normal the muscles around it are weak or it is producing too much urine at night when the process usually slows down. Less frequently bedwetting could be a symptom of a bladder or kidney infection or underlying condition such as diabetes. Bedwetting can also be triggered by emotional stress over a death in the family a separation or even the birth of a brother or sister. Whatever the cause it can be a humiliating experience for the child.

Treatment

Frustrated parents that must also cope with the situation should remember that bedwetting is by and large an involuntary activity. A child doesn't usually wet the bed on purpose. It is important not to make the child feel ashamed or "bad" for having done so. You can help your child by:

• limiting liquids before bedtime
• encouraging him or her to go to the bathroom before bedtime
• praising the child on dry mornings
• avoiding punishments
• waking the child during the night to empty their bladder

Treatment for bedwetting in children includes behavioral conditioning devices (pad/buzzer) and/or medications. Examples of medications used include anti-diuretic hormone nasal spray and the anti-depressant medication imipramine. Anti-depressants work in about two cases in 10 but there are quite a few side effects associated with these drugs.

Encouragement and reward systems help some people especially when combined with bladder training exercises and other techniques. Ask your child's doctor for further advice.