Most
often children who wet the bed are kind of embarrassed of themselves. They
do not really want to come out and tell their parents that they wet the bed or
had an “accident.” One thing you should do to help comfort your child is tell
them that wetting the bed is normal and they should not be ashamed or
embarrassed about it. Every child goes through the years of wetting the bed and
it is something that just takes time and patience.
What are the causes?
Bed
wetting most often occurs to those who have no control over their bladder. In
the early years of life, just like with a number of other parts of the body, it takes
time for the bladder to develop. According to nafc.org (n.d.),
the development of bladder control in children is as follows:
·
Birth-18 months: The child has no
awareness of their bladder filling up and elimination of urine.
·
18-24 months: The child has a conscious
sensation of their bladder emptying.
·
2-3 years: Children have voluntary control
of stopping urination and they develop proper skills for toileting.
·
3-5 years: Children achieve being
able to control their bladder, meaning they are dry during the day and during
the night.
Having
the ability or inability to control the bladder is one of the many reasons why bed
wetting happens. According to mayoclinic.org (n.d.), nobody knows for sure what causes
bed wetting, but there are many factors besides bladder control that could play a role. Having a small bladder, a urinary tract infection, or chronic constipation could all potentially lead to bed wetting. Being in a stressful event could be a factor as well.
Risk factors for wetting
the bed
Risk
factors are there for everything, even bed wetting. One risk factor is being a male. Wetting the bed is twice as common in males than in females (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). A second risk factor for wetting the bed is through family history. If one or both of the child's parents wet the bed when they were younger, the child will be at increased risk for it (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). Another risk factor is ADHD. Children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have an increased risk for bed wetting (Mayo Clinic, n.d.).
How can I help prevent
it?
Being
able to prevent bed wetting in children is something I amm sure all parents would
love to do. There are many different ways out there that can help prevent the
occurrence of bed wetting. This is handy because bed wetting is one of those things were doing something one
night won’t necessarily mean it will work the next night. According to the mayoclinic.org (n.d.), here
are some of the best changes you can make at home to help prevent bed wetting:
·
Limit the child’s fluid intake at
nighttime
·
Eliminate beverages or foods that contain
caffeine before bedtime
·
Encourage the child to use the bathroom
before bedtime
·
Encourage the child to use the bathroom
throughout the day
·
Treat any constipation the child might
have
Here
is a great video of some tips one mom uses to help her son from wetting the
bed!
Simply
BTs. (2017, February 10). HOW TO | HELP
STOP KID WETTING THE BED || Stop Bedwetting Hacks. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaAnt7CPwf0
References
Mayo
Clinic. (n.d.). Bed-wetting. Retrieved
10/6/2017, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bed-wetting/basics/lifestyle-homeremedies/con-20015089
National
Association for Continence. (n.d.). Pediatric
Bedwetting. Retrieved 10/6/2017, from https://www.nafc.org/pediatric-bedwetting/