My Child’s Bedwetting

What I need to know about

My Child’s Bedwetting

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTHNational Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse

U.S. Departmentof Health andHuman Services

What I need to know aboutMy Child’s Bedwetting

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTHNational Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse

ContentsWhy does my child wet the bed? ............................ 1

How can I help my child stay dry? ......................... 4

Should I take my child to the doctor?.................... 6

What treatments can help my child stay dry? ....... 8

Points to Remember.............................................. 11

For More Information........................................... 12

Acknowledgments ................................................. 14

Why does my child wet the bed?Many children wet the bed until they are 5 yearsold, or even older. In most cases, the cause isphysical and not the child’s fault. The child’sbladder might be too small. Or the amount ofurine produced overnight is too much for thebladder to hold. As a result, the bladder fills upbefore the night is over. Some children sleep toodeeply or take longer to learn bladder control.Children don’t wet the bed on purpose. Bedwettingis a medical problem, not a behavior problem.Scolding and punishment will not help a childstay dry.

1

Bedwetting may run in the family. If both parentswet the bed as children, their child is likely to havethe same problem. If only one parent has a historyof bedwetting, the child has about a fifty-fiftychance of having the problem. Some childrenwet the bed even if neither parent ever did.

Bedwetting may be caused by an infection or anerve disease. Children with nerve disease oftenalso have daytime wetting.

2

A child who has been dry for several months oreven years may return to wetting the bed. Thecause might be emotional stress, such as loss of aloved one, problems at school, a new sibling, oreven training too early.

3

How can I help my child stay dry?The answer is rarely easy. Try skipping drinksbefore bedtime. Avoid drinks with caffeine,like colas or tea. These drinks speed up urineproduction. Give your child one drink with dinner.Explain that it will be the last drink before going tobed. Make sure your child uses the bathroom justbefore bed. Many children will still wet the bed,but these steps are a place to start.

4

Your child may feel bad about wetting the bed. Letyour child know he isn’t to blame. Let her helptake off the wet sheets and put them in the washer,but don’t make this a punishment. Be supportive.Praise your child for dry nights.

Be patient. Most children grow out of bedwetting.Some children just take more time than others.

5

Should I take my child to the doctor?If your child is younger than 5, don’t worry aboutbedwetting. Many children do not stay dry at nightuntil age 7. Most children outgrow wetting thebed. A single episode of bedwetting should notcause alarm, even in an older child.

If your child is 7 years old or older and wets thebed more than two or three times in a week, adoctor may be able to help. If both day and nightwetting occur after age 5, your child should see adoctor before age 7.

6

The doctor will ask questions about your child’shealth and the wetting problem. Your child willlikely be asked for a urine sample. The doctoruses the sample to look for signs of infection. Bytesting the reflexes in the child’s legs and feet, thedoctor can check for nerve damage. Sometimesbedwetting is a sign of diabetes, a condition thatcan cause frequent urination.

7

If your child has an infection, the doctor canprescribe medicine. In most cases, the doctor findsthat the child is normal and healthy. If your childis basically healthy, a variety of ways are availableto help your child stop wetting the bed.

What treatments can help my child stay dry?Talk with your doctor about ways to help yourchild. Many choices exist. Let your child helpdecide which ones to try.

Bladder Training

Bladder training can help your child hold urinelonger. Write down what times your child urinatesduring the day. Then figure out the times betweentrips to the bathroom.After a day or two,have your child tryto wait an extra 15minutes before usingthe bathroom. If thechild usually goes tothe bathroom at 3:30p.m., have him waituntil 3:45. Slowlymake the timeslonger and longer.

8

This method is designed for children with smallbladders. It helps stretch the bladder to hold moreurine. Be patient. Bladder training can takeseveral weeks, or even months.

Moisture Alarm

A small moisture alarm can be put in the child’sbed or underwear. The alarm triggers a bell orbuzzer with the first drops of urine. The soundwakes the child. Your child can then stop the flowof urine, get up, and use the bathroom. Wakingalso teaches the child how a full bladder feels.

9

Medicine

Two kinds of medicine are available for treatingbedwetting. One medicine slows down how fastyour body makes urine. The other medicine helpsthe bladder relax so it can hold more urine. Thesemedicines often work well. Remember wettingmay return when the child stops taking themedicine. If this occurs, keeping the child onmedicine for a longer time helps.

10

Points to Remember● Normal, healthy children may wet the bed.

● Bedwetting may be a sign of infection or otherproblems.

● Many children are dry at night by the time theyare 5 years old. Others take longer to stay dry.

● Scolding and punishment do not help a childstop bedwetting.

● If your child is 7 or older and wets the bed morethan two or three times a week, a doctor may beable to help.

● Treatments include bladder training, alarms, andmedicines.

● Most children grow out of bedwetting naturally.

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For More InformationAmerican Academy of Pediatrics141 Northwest Point BoulevardElk Grove Village, IL 60007–1098Phone: 847–434–4000Email: kidsdocs@aap.org Internet: www.aap.org

American Urological Association Foundation 1000 Corporate BoulevardSuite 410Linthicum, MD 21090Phone: 1–800–828–7866 or 410–689–3700Email: aua@auanet.orgInternet: www.auafoundation.org

National Association for ContinenceP.O. Box 1019Charleston, SC 29402–1019Phone: 1–800–BLADDER (252–3337) or 843–377–0900Email: memberservices@nafc.orgInternet: www.nafc.org

National Kidney Foundation30 East 33rd StreetNew York, NY 10016Phone: 1–800–622–9010 or 212–889–2210Email: info@kidney.orgInternet: www.kidney.org

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The Simon Foundation for ContinenceP.O. Box 815Wilmette, IL 60091Phone: 1–800–23–SIMON (237–4666) or 847–864–3913Email: simoninfo@simonfoundation.orgInternet: www.simonfoundation.org

Society of Urologic Nurses and AssociatesP.O. Box 56East Holly AvenuePitman, NJ 08071–0056Phone: 1–888–TAP–SUNA (827–7862) or 856–256–2335Email: suna@ajj.comInternet: www.suna.org

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AcknowledgmentsThe National Kidney and Urologic DiseasesInformation Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) would liketo thank the following individuals for assisting withscientific and editorial review of this publication.

Stuart Bauer, M.D.Harvard University, Boston

Stephen Koff, M.D.Ohio State University, Columbus

Thanks also to Shirl Lyn Woods of the JohnsHopkins Hospital for facilitating field-testing ofthis publication.

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National Kidney and UrologicDiseases Information Clearinghouse

3 Information WayBethesda, MD 20892–3580Phone: 1–800–891–5390Fax: 703–738–4929Email: nkudic@info.niddk.nih.govInternet: www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov

The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases InformationClearinghouse (NKUDIC) is a service of the NationalInstitute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases(NIDDK). The NIDDK is part of the National Institutesof Health under the U.S. Department of Health and HumanServices. Established in 1987, the Clearinghouse providesinformation about diseases of the kidneys and urologicsystem to people with kidney and urologic disorders and totheir families, health care professionals, and the public.The NKUDIC answers inquiries, develops and distributespublications, and works closely with professional and patientorganizations and Government agencies to coordinateresources about kidney and urologic diseases.

Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are carefullyreviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts.

This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouseencourages users of this booklet to duplicate anddistribute as many copies as desired.

This booklet is also available at www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov.

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

NIH Publication No. 06–5631April 2006

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESNational Institutes of Health