Bedwetting: Bladder Control Problems in Children
What follows is the third in our 3-part series on urinary incontinence. Part 1 focused on the condition in women, and part 2 addressed the problem in men. Part 3 will look at bedwetting鈥攁 type of bladder problem that affects children.听
First, be aware that bedwetting is a common problem, says Denise Galan, a pediatric nurse practitioner in the Department of Urology at 五月天视频. 鈥淭he younger the child, the more common it is. As they get older, especially past the age of 7, 迟丑别测鈥檒濒 usually outgrow nighttime wetting鈥濃攂ut the problem can be stressful for the child afflicted with it and for parents dealing with it.听
To get a handle on the causes of bedwetting and the treatments to resolve it, read on for answers to your FAQs and for plenty of hope to ease your concerns.听
What causes or contributes to bedwetting?听
- Family history听
- An underlying bladder issue听
To figure out what鈥檚 going on, parents would do well to look at their own bedwetting issues when they were children. If either parent has a history of childhood bedwetting, their child may follow suit, Denise says.听听
鈥淎濒蝉辞 notice whether your child has daytime symptoms such as urinary urgency, frequency or even some daytime wetting,鈥 she advises. 鈥泪f so, these symptoms may be a sign that there鈥檚 an underlying bladder issue carrying over to nighttime wetting.鈥听
At what point during the night does bedwetting typically occur?听
Bedwetting can happen at any time. Children who drink a lot of fluids close to bedtime may wet their beds shortly after they鈥檝e gone to sleep. But others may do so closer to morning. 鈥淭hey may even start to wet their bed and wake up, catch themselves and be able to make it to the bathroom,鈥 says Denise. 鈥泪t all depends on the underlying stability of their bladder.鈥澨听
What is the first line of defense for treating the issue?听
鈥泪 start by recommending behavior modification. That is often the best, easiest and least invasive way to control nighttime wetting.听
鈥淔irst,鈥 she continues, 鈥渕ake sure your child is drinking enough during the day. Have them drink most of their fluids in the morning and afternoon. To confirm that 迟丑别测鈥檙别 well-hydrated, check the color of their urine. By the afternoon, it should be a very light yellow or almost clear.鈥听
If 迟丑别测鈥檙别 well-hydrated during the day, she says, they won鈥檛 鈥渇luid-load鈥 in the evening.听
Another behavioral strategy is to prevent your child from drinking anything two hours before bedtime. That includes ice cream, ice pops, milk and even fruit. 鈥淲e always recommend that a child pee, brush their teeth and do what they normally do before bed, whether reading, watching a movie or just snuggling with a parent. And right when the child is ready to go to sleep, they should try to pee one last time.鈥听
If your child continues to have accidents during the night after you try the strategies described above, you may try waking them up before you go to bed and steer them toward the bathroom. Put your child on the toilet and after they urinate one last time, bring them back to bed.听听
鈥淥ver time,鈥 she says, 鈥渟top waking them up and see if your child can make it through the night without wetting the bed. In any case, some children aren鈥檛 good sleepers, so it鈥檚 understandable that their parents wouldn鈥檛 want to wake them up once 迟丑别测鈥檙别 asleep. In these instances, it may be time to consider medication.鈥听
Is there medication used to prevent bedwetting?
The medication pediatric urologists recommend for bedwetting is called desmopressin, or DDAVP. It鈥檚 an anti-diuretic hormone that the body normally produces to decrease the amount of urine a child makes during the night.听听
鈥泪f prescribed by your doctor, your child would take DDAVP at night with a sip of water right before bed,鈥 she says. 鈥泪t can make a child feel a little drowsy, but we don鈥檛 really see that side effect linger throughout the day.鈥听
How can parents help when their child spends the night away from home?听听
When a child goes on a sleepover or goes to camp, pull-ups are an excellent option. Usually, 鈥渙ther children won鈥檛 even realize that your child is wearing a pull-up. You can also enlist the aid of a parent or counselor to dispose of the pull-up discreetly and privately.听听
鈥淏ut if your child is really uncomfortable and doesn鈥檛 want to wear a pull-up, try the medication,鈥 she continues. 鈥Children can use it periodically, knowing it will work to keep them dry during the night.鈥听
What else can parents do to help their children stay dry all night, every night?
- Let your child be the one to drive the process. If they really want to get and stay dry, 迟丑别测鈥檒濒 follow the rules and do everything they can to solve the problem.听
- Give behavior modification time to work, but if the bedwetting problem persists, see one of the pediatric urologists at 五月天视频 to check for any underlying bladder issue.听
- Make sure your child isn鈥檛 constipated. The space in the pelvic cavity that holds the bladder also holds the rectrum and the colon. If a child is backed up with stool, that can contribute to bedwetting.听听
Finally, be honest with your child. Be supportive. And stay open to all the hopeful options on offer to help you and your family resolve a problem that can be distressing for all concerned.听听
Make an appointment with a pediatric urologist here.听Listen to a recent podcast episode about bedwetting, featuring Denise Galan.