Tips to Help your Child Overcome Bed Wetting

Bed wetting or Enuresis is basically urination during sleep. Bed wetting in children above 7 years is a cause of concern. Children do not wet the bed on purpose. They may be lazy to go to the toilet, they are pre-occupied with watching TV or playing they miss to go to the toilet.

Children generally learn bladder control by 4 years and they will go to toilet as per the urgency to empty the bladder. If the child is unable to follow this practice and is bed wetting you need to consult the Doctor and take appropriate action. You can help your child overcome bed wetting by understanding the causes and assure the child that all is well.

The main causes of bed wetting are:

• Child has not gone to the toilet prior to sleep.
• Child has a small bladder that gets full quickly.
• Deep sleeping pattern. They do not realize the time to use the bathroom when the bladder is full.
• Children wet the bed when they are in stress. Emotional or social factors, environmental disturbances, quarrels at home , parents separation are few causes.
• Hereditary factors are also involved.
• Health conditions like urinary tract infection, frequent constipation, worm infestation, epilepsy, kidney problems, mental retardation, development disorders are contributing factors.
• The focus has shifted to the new sibling that has arrived home. Bed wetting to seek attention to oneself.
• External climatic conditions like too cold and chilly. Child is lazy to attend to nature call in the middle of night.

There are situations when the child starts withdrawing from social activities due to fear of bed wetting. They will not like to visit other homes on vacations or do not like guests stay at home. Parents have to be extremely careful while dealing with the child. It is not easy to handle this amongst all schedules in the day for working parents. But then the emotional condition of the child should be considered to help overcome bedwetting problem. Parents have to give positive support, understanding to the child only then the child will be encouraged to overcome bed wetting.

• Do not shout at the child.
• Do not punish or embarrass child for being wet at night especially if done in front of others.
• Explain the child that bed wetting is no one’s fault and there are lots of kids going thru’ this problem.
• Converse with them and let children know if anyone in the family wet the bed growing up.
• Praise children when they wake up at night to urinate and they have not passed urine in bed.
• Encourage children to go on sleepovers. Visit relatives place during vacation, occasions.
• Minimize consumption of fluids at least 2 hrs prior to bed time.
• Instruct the child to empty his bladder to the maximum before going to bed.
• If your kid is used to bed time stories etc, make sure you remind the kid to go to toilet.
• Train the kid to wake up at night and go to bathroom.

Parents can be prepared for quicker cleaning and transition. Arrange a rubber sheet under the bed sheet as used for babies such that the damage is minimized. Involve your child in the chores of making bed, folding the clothes, etc such that the child realizes the additional work and is careful to follow the guidelines.

There are medications and physical control measures eg: Moisture alarms are available. You can make a difference by handling the child and extending support and guidance. Consult the pediatrician to assess if the problem is related to health or emotional factor. Latest methodologies have developed in overcoming bed wetting problem. If bed wetting is not treated in time the problem will extend when they grow up as adults too.