When Does My Child Need Treatment For Bedwetting?
It happened again: Your child, who’s remained completely dry for many nights in a row, experienced loss of bladder control in their sleep and wet the bed last night.
You know the problem is common and normal and that most kids outgrow it eventually, but you still find yourself wondering if it might be time to seek treatment.
Fortunately, there are holistic treatment solutions for this distressing problem, and pediatric care specialists Dr. Ran D. Anbar and our team at Center Point Medicine are here to help. Let’s examine why bedwetting occurs and when it may cause concern.
A short tutorial on bedwetting
Bedwetting, also called nocturnal enuresis or nighttime incontinence, is the involuntary release of urine during sleep that occurs after the age at which staying dry at night can be reasonably expected — usually sometime between the ages of four and six.
Children typically gain full control over their bladders during waking hours between two and four years old. Even after a child is toilet trained, however, it may take months or even years longer to attain complete nighttime bladder control.
A common occurrence
Bedwetting is considered a typical part of early childhood development, and many children experience it. Studies show that about 17% of all five-year-olds (one in six), 13% of all six-year-olds (one in eight), and 10% of all seven-year-olds (one in 10) release urine during sleep.
While daytime accidents are more common in girls, bedwetting is more common in boys. It’s also more common in kids whose parents wet the bed when they were young — the same study found that a child is 30% more likely to wet the bed if one parent was affected as a child; if both parents were affected, they’re 70% more likely to experience nocturnal enuresis.
Bedwetting is stressful
Parents need to understand that bedwetting doesn’t indicate failed toilet training, laziness, emotional problems, obstinance, or a “strong will.” Instead, it’s a normal developmental issue that simply requires patience and understanding.
Although it’s rarely a sign of a serious medical problem, bedwetting can make kids feel distressed, ashamed, and embarrassed — especially if it continues as they get older.
When bedwetting is a concern
Many children naturally outgrow bedwetting by the time they’re 5 years old. For those who still experience recurrent nighttime incontinence past this age, bedwetting typically resolves by the age of 8.
Generally, periodic bedwetting isn’t considered a concern until age 8. However, you might consider seeking treatment if your child:
- Wets the bed multiple times a week for several months in a row
- Starts wetting the bed after several months of being dry at night
- Experiences distress or social difficulties because of bedwetting
Most pediatricians consider nocturnal enuresis an issue if your child is past 12 and continues to wet the bed two or more times a week for three months or longer. In such cases, an underlying medical condition may be playing a role.
About 98-99% of teens who wet the bed fully outgrow the problem by age 15, with or without treatment. However, adolescents with certain conditions, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), often take longer to outgrow bedwetting.
Holistic treatment for enuresis
If a comprehensive evaluation reveals that your child’s bedwetting is the product of an underlying medical condition (i.e., constipation, diabetes, ADHD), treating or managing that condition can reduce or resolve nighttime incontinence.
Given that most cases of pediatric bedwetting aren’t related to a medical issue, however, the typical treatment plan for most kids centers on behavioral therapies and counseling. At Center Point Medicine, we’ve helped many kids overcome bedwetting through:
- Limiting fluid intake before bed
- Passing urine twice before sleep
- Regular toilet use during the day
- Exercises to strengthen the bladder muscles
Counseling can help your child better cope with any emotional distress they may have because of bedwetting, including stress, guilt, anxiety, and feelings of low self-worth or confidence.
We also find that a combined approach incorporating hypnosis as a supportive therapy can help kids learn how to wake themselves from a deep sleep when they need to urinate so they can wake up dry regularly.
Are you worried about your child’s bedwetting? We can help. Call or click online to schedule a visit at Center Point Medicine in La Jolla, California, or Syracuse, New York, today.