When will her bedwetting stop?

One of the most frequent questions from patients at my clinic is: When will my child stop wetting the bed?

Parents are usually frustrated and blame themselves for not knowing how to fix the situation. In reality, children don't stop wetting the bed at a specific age. In fact, your child may stop wetting the bed suddenly, or it may happen gradually over a period of a few months with occasional nighttime accidents.

Although many children stop wetting the bed by age 5, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry states that bedwetting remains a problem for about 15% of children. Bedwetting can affect anyone, but it is more common in boys than in girls. Furthermore, according to the Mayo Clinic, if both parents wet the bed as children, the risk of their child experiencing the same problem is 80%.

Many factors contribute to bedwetting. Most often, it results from the incomplete development of the bladder and the neurological connections between the bladder and the brain that control it. It's not uncommon for children who sleep very deeply to not recognize or feel that their bladder is full at night, and that's why they don't wake up to go to the bathroom. In addition, your child's bladder may not be large enough to hold all the urine they produce during the night.

Chronic constipation should also be considered, as it can cause bedwetting by putting pressure on the bladder and reducing its size. Therefore, it's important to treat constipation if your child has this problem. If there is pain during urination and an increased frequency of nighttime or daytime accidents, it's important to schedule an appointment with your pediatrician for tests to detect problems such as a urinary tract infection.

Remember that stress can worsen bedwetting. That's why it's important to bond with loved ones in the evening to reduce stress related to bedwetting.

Consider the following:

• Create an evening routine that reassures your child and shows them that you are there to support and encourage them.
• Make sure your child knows that they are not responsible for their bedwetting and that it will eventually go away.
• Be patient and reduce evening stress by providing your child with disposable pads featuring unique protective zones where needed.