Bed-wetting is the unintentional (involuntary) discharge of urine during the night. Although most children between the ages of three and five begin to stay dry at night, the age at which children are physically and emotionally ready to maintain complete bladder control varies and it is technically termed as ‘Enuresis’.
Many researchers consider bed-wetting normal until age 6. About 10% of 6-year-old children wet the bed about once a month. More boys than girls have this problem.
The causes of bed-wetting are not entirely known. It tends to run in families. Most children with primary enuresis have a close relative--a parent, aunt, or uncle--who also had the disorder. About 70% of children with two parents who wet the bed will also wet the bed. Sometimes bed-wetting can be caused by a serious medical problem like diabetes, sickle-cell anemia, or epilepsy. Children who wet the bed frequently may have a smaller than normal functional bladder capacity.
Occasionally a doctor will determine that the problem is serious enough to require treatment. Standard treatments for bed-wetting include bladder training exercises, motivational therapy, drug therapy, psychotherapy, and diet therapy.
Bladder training exercises are based on the theory that those who wet the bed have small functional bladder capacity. Children are told to drink a large quantity of water and to try to prolong the periods between urinations. These exercises are designed to increase bladder capacity
Alarms. This form of therapy uses a sensor placed in the child's pajamas or in a bed pad. This sensor triggers an alarm that wakes the child at the first sign of wetness. If the child is awakened, he or she can then go to the bathroom and finish urinating. The intention is to condition a response to awaken when the bladder is full. Bed-wetting alarms require the motivation of both parents and children. They are considered the most effective form of treatment now available.
Although preventing a child from wetting the bed is not always possible, parents can take steps to help the child keep the bed dry at night. These steps include:
Encouraging and praising the child for staying dry instead of punishing when the child wets.
Reminding the child to urinate before going to bed, if he or she feels the need.
Limiting liquid intake at least two hours before bedtime
1 comment:
We read your blog posting, and would like to help. Studies indicate that deep sleepers rarely hear smoke detectors, and can sleep through fire/burglar alarms. Alarms sold to treat bedwetting are ineffective in correcting a sleep disorder. For 32 years, the Enuresis Treatment Center has successfully treated thousands of people from around the world by establishing a new and healthy pattern of sleep, which permanently resolves the bedwetting. The Enuresis Treatment Center has put together an informative guide to understanding and treating bedwetting. This free bedwetting guide is available to download at www.freebedwettingguide.com.
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