How to stop your child from bed-wetting
- January 28, 2021
- MKB Team
Bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis is a completely involuntary act when the child urinates in bed during his sleep. Bed-wetting although an embarrassing issue for kids, is a common phenomenon and a normal developmental stage. There is no cause for parents to panic over it. More often, the problem disappears on
its own over time. It’s more common in boys than girls with the ratio roughly ranging from 2 boys to 1 girl. Research shows that approximately 20 percent of 5-year-olds, 10 percent of 7-year-olds, and 5 percent of 10-year-olds wet their beds. However, 15 percent of children still wet the bed by age 5, but less than 5 percent of kids do
so by ages 8 to 11.
Most children outgrow this phase naturally but, here are a few tips to keep your child dry through the night and stop bedwetting.
- No Blame Game: Don’t get angry with your little one. Neither
should the child be teased as this will worsen the problem.
Offer some comfort instead and consult your paediatrician if
it’s getting out of hand. But remember that in most cases there
might not be a medical or physical reason for bedwetting as it’s
only a delay in the development of night time bladder control. - Encourage trips to the bathroom: Do this before bedtime and
attempt to carry your child to the bathroom just before you hit
bed again. Emptying the bladder reduces the chances of
bedwetting, although it might not cure the problem completely.
Try and limit fluid intake a few hours before bedtime. Ensure that
the bathroom is not too far away from the child’s bedroom to
encourage trips. Speak to the child gently to check if the child has a fear of the dark as sometimes being scared can lead to bedwetting. Keep a small night lamp, light bulb or even a hall light on in such a case. - Incentive Chart: Make an incentive chart to coerce your child
against bedwetting. Ensure that your child maintains this chart
and encourage him/her to put up a smiley or a star each dry
night. Ten of these stickers could bring an incentive like a
favourite toy or an ice cream treat. In the case of bedwetting, a
reward or incentive works better than punishment. - Constipation: Check your child’s bowel movement as
constipation could also cause bladder instability. In the case
that daily bowel movement is absent or the stool is particularly
hard, your child’s fluid and fiber intake needs to be increased.
Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and apple juice are suggested
options to cure constipation. You can try medicines after
consultation with your doctor but remember that medicine
checks the problem or the symptoms rather than cure them.
The problem persists as soon as the medicines are stopped. - Get a waterproof mattress: After investing in a waterproof
mattress, you might want to instil a habit in your child to
change the sheets in the morning. This will help him take the
responsibility for bedwetting and might also check the problem
as the child is now a part of the solution. - Sometimes, your child’s routine could face a disruption and
bedwetting may be caused as a result. For example if a child is
completely exhausted, has a minor illness or experiences stress.
A big life change like a new school or a new sibling could also
cause bedwetting. - Although it is best to take the problem head on in a natural
way, you might consider returning to overnight diapers or
training pants if the problem persists. Another option is washable or disposable underwear designed for kids who wet the bed regularly. - It’s a myth that fluid intake could cause bedwetting. In fact, the
opposite holds good as lack of a proper fluid intake throughout
the course of the day could lead to bedwetting at night. - Sometimes, erratic sleeping patterns also cause bedwetting
when the child is awake till late at night and wakes up late as a
result. Follow the old saying religiously- Early to bed and early
to rise…
When will the child stop wetting the bed?
Approximately 90 percent of children outgrow bed-wetting on their
own by the age of 7. Most importantly, the parents have to make the child realise that there is no shame or guilt for bedwetting. Making fun of the child, display of irritation or blaming the child not only makes the problem worse but also damages the child’s self-confidence. The child often believes that this is an isolated phenomenon and no one else has this problem. Opening up about bedwetting with the child and telling him/her that this happens with all children helps fight this small problem in an easier way. Was this article helpful for you? Have some tips on how to stop a child from wetting the bed? Write to us as we’d love to hear from you!
Q & A:
You ask and we answer!
How do I stop my child from peeing at night?
Ratna Balsavar, Bangalore.
To combat bed-wetting, doctors suggest:
Shift times for drinking.
Schedule bathroom breaks.
Be encouraging.
Eliminate bladder irritants.
Avoid thirst overload.
Consider if constipation is a factor.
Don't wake children up to urinate.
An earlier bedtime is advisable.
What age should a child stop wetting the bed?
Priya Gupte, Mumbai.
Many children will use the toilet well during the day long before they are dry through the night. It can be many months, even years, before children stay dry overnight. Most children, but not all, stop bedwetting between the ages of 5 and 6 years old. Bedwetting is more common in boys and in deep sleepers.
Is bedwetting a sign of ADHD?
Smriti Chauhan, Gurgaon.
Yes, theres definitely a link. Bedwetting is about three times more common in kids who have ADHD than in kids who dont. And it can be very distressing to both kids and parents. It's still not totally clear why so many kids with ADHD have this issue.
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