Bedwetting at age6 is a common
childhood health issue. Medically, bedwetting is called nocturnal enuresis,
which is characterized by involuntary urination at night. Almost 40% of children
before age five have this issue. Children who have parents who wet their beds
when they were young are most likely to experience nocturnal
enuresis.
Adult bed wetting
Bedwetting is usually influenced by two physical functions. The first is the delayed development of the hormone arginine vasopressin or AVP. AVP hormone reduces the kidney's output at night in order to prevent the bladder from getting full until morning. The second is the ability to wake up at night once the bladder is full. Both functions, however, develop independently of each other. Children usually develop these abilities between the ages of 2 to 3 years. Only 1% of nocturnal enuresis is due to other medical condition such as diabetes, bladder infection and kidney infection.
Understandably, parents worry over their child's inability to keep dry. However, it is important to make the child understand that it is not a fault to wet the bed. Keep in mind that bedwetting is not intentional. Children with nocturnal enuresis cannot help but wet their bed. Usually, by the age of 5 or 6 children will be able to stay dry at night. However, for those wet nights, here are some helpful tips:
Lessen the child's liquid intake before bedtime.
Encourage your child to go to the bathroom before bedtime, even though they feel that they do not need to go.
Wake up your child. Sometimes, a parent can wake up and encourage the child to go the bathroom a few hours after bedtime.
Wear a bedwetting alarm. A bedwetting alarm sets off once it senses that the child is beginning to urinate. Make sure that the alarm is loud enough to wake up you child and make him or her go to the bathroom. Also, check for comfort, durability and effectiveness.
Wear disposable underwear or diapers. This is especially helpful when your child is sleeping over at a friend's or relative's house. It will also help in preventing wet sheets and make cleaning up easier.
Put night lights along the way to the bathroom. This is helpful once your child is starting to wake up once he or she wets the bed. Night lights would lessen your child's fear of the dark. It would also keep your child from bumping into any objects (such as tables, shelves and toys) along the way.
Praise and reward your child. Praise your child every time he or she wakes up dry. You can make a star chart or a calendar to mark dry nights. The star chart or calendar can also keep track of how often your child can hold his or her bladder.
Let your child help in cleaning up. While cleaning up and making the bed, take the opportunity to talk to your child. Make them feel that they do not have to be ashamed of bedwetting. Assure them that they would eventually grow out of it. It is also the perfect time to make them understand the responsibility of cleaning up after themselves.
There are also medications that can help with nocturnal enuresis. Children naturally outgrow bedwetting, so it may be unnecessary to resort to medications. Some medications have side effects and may cause more harm than good. If you feel that your child's bedwetting is a symptom of a more serious problem, talk to your doctor. The doctor would prescribe some tests in order to determine whether your child have other medical conditions.
Adult bed wetting
Bedwetting is usually influenced by two physical functions. The first is the delayed development of the hormone arginine vasopressin or AVP. AVP hormone reduces the kidney's output at night in order to prevent the bladder from getting full until morning. The second is the ability to wake up at night once the bladder is full. Both functions, however, develop independently of each other. Children usually develop these abilities between the ages of 2 to 3 years. Only 1% of nocturnal enuresis is due to other medical condition such as diabetes, bladder infection and kidney infection.
Understandably, parents worry over their child's inability to keep dry. However, it is important to make the child understand that it is not a fault to wet the bed. Keep in mind that bedwetting is not intentional. Children with nocturnal enuresis cannot help but wet their bed. Usually, by the age of 5 or 6 children will be able to stay dry at night. However, for those wet nights, here are some helpful tips:
Lessen the child's liquid intake before bedtime.
Encourage your child to go to the bathroom before bedtime, even though they feel that they do not need to go.
Wake up your child. Sometimes, a parent can wake up and encourage the child to go the bathroom a few hours after bedtime.
Wear a bedwetting alarm. A bedwetting alarm sets off once it senses that the child is beginning to urinate. Make sure that the alarm is loud enough to wake up you child and make him or her go to the bathroom. Also, check for comfort, durability and effectiveness.
Wear disposable underwear or diapers. This is especially helpful when your child is sleeping over at a friend's or relative's house. It will also help in preventing wet sheets and make cleaning up easier.
Put night lights along the way to the bathroom. This is helpful once your child is starting to wake up once he or she wets the bed. Night lights would lessen your child's fear of the dark. It would also keep your child from bumping into any objects (such as tables, shelves and toys) along the way.
Praise and reward your child. Praise your child every time he or she wakes up dry. You can make a star chart or a calendar to mark dry nights. The star chart or calendar can also keep track of how often your child can hold his or her bladder.
Let your child help in cleaning up. While cleaning up and making the bed, take the opportunity to talk to your child. Make them feel that they do not have to be ashamed of bedwetting. Assure them that they would eventually grow out of it. It is also the perfect time to make them understand the responsibility of cleaning up after themselves.
There are also medications that can help with nocturnal enuresis. Children naturally outgrow bedwetting, so it may be unnecessary to resort to medications. Some medications have side effects and may cause more harm than good. If you feel that your child's bedwetting is a symptom of a more serious problem, talk to your doctor. The doctor would prescribe some tests in order to determine whether your child have other medical conditions.
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