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How to Stop Urinating in Bed at Night

Last Updated on Feb 11, 2022
Bedwetting can be quite distressing for families. If you are concerned as a parent, this calculator can help determine if your child has a bedwetting problem, and guide you towards solutions.

Bedwetting Calculator

Gender Male    Female
Age
Did father or mother have problem of bedwetting in their childhood? Yes   No
Did the child undergo night-time potty training? Yes   No
Frequency
Was the child dry for a few months or years and did the problem restart? Yes. Was dry for over 2 to 3 months and started bedwetting again
Yes. Was dry for over a year and started bedwetting again
Not at All


Children above 12 years old can also have bedwetting problem and there are solution available for this. Parents must understand their child help them overcome bedwetting problems.

What is Bedwetting/Enuresis?

Bedwetting or enuresis is urinary incontinence or involuntary urination during sleep. Bedwetting is common and considered normal among children till they are two or three years old. It can also often occur among older children and cause parents to worry and wonder if there is a solution.

This common problem does have a solution though and there is no reason for parents to feel helpless. Parents need to continue to provide emotional support and reassurance to the child until the problem is resolved.

There are two types of nocturnal enuresis

Primary nocturnal enuresis - a child who has never achieved dry nights since potty training

Secondary nocturnal enuresis - a child who achieved dry night for at least six months but has started bedwetting again.

Causes of Bedwetting

Being lazy or willful is rarely a reason for a child’s loss of bladder control. In a small number of cases, behavior may play a role. Bedwetting is caused by a combination of things:

Family History

Bedwetting can be inherited. The bedwetting genes are strong among families. If any one of the parents had a bedwetting habit the child is more likely to suffer from enuresis. Close relatives may also share genes and a child without a family connection has only a 15% chance of bedwetting.

Stress

Major changes in a child's life—such as moving to a new house, starting school, or the birth of a sibling—can be emotionally stressful and may trigger bedwetting. Anxiety or emotional distress can also lead to a temporary regression in bladder control.

In some children, being separated from a caregiver or going to sleep in unfamiliar environments can trigger anxiety and lead to bedwetting.

Brain-Bladder Control

Children who wet their bed are often described as “deep sleepers”. These children do not wake up to the bladder’s signal to avoid waking up causing sleep disturbance. During this, the pelvic floor muscles relax and empty while the child sleeps. This brain-bladder control will develop naturally over time or speed up with treatment.

Smaller Bladder Capacity

Some children may have a small bladder capacity that does not allow them to sleep through the night without wetting the bed. These children may also struggle with daytime wetting, urinary urgency or frequency.

More Urine Production

The child’s kidney may make too much urine at night and the bladder may not be able to hold it. The brain produces a hormone called vasopressin or antidiuretic hormone (ADH) which slows urine production.

This helps in reducing urine production at night. When the brain does not make enough ADH or when the kidney stops responding to it, more urine is produced. Excessive drinking of caffeinated and carbonated drinks may increase urine production.

Sleep Disorders

Some children may develop sleep disorders like sleepwalking or obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition where breathing is interrupted during sleep, sleep apnea has been associated with bedwetting in children.

The frequent waking during sleep, low oxygen levels, and difficulty maintaining a regular sleep cycle can disrupt the body’s ability to regulate bladder control.

Constipation

Chronic constipation can lead to bedwetting. When the bowels are full, they press against the bladder, reducing its capacity and causing frequent urination or the inability to hold urine during sleep.

Constipation can also lead to bladder dysfunction , where the bladder does not empty properly or the signal to urinate is not communicated correctly to the brain, increasing the chances of bedwetting (1).

Treatment

There are many treatments for bedwetting. Treatment starts with behavioral changes.Tips for Parents on How to Stop a Child from Wetting the Bed

  • Explain bedwetting to your child. Reassure your child that bedwetting is not his or her fault and that it will go away as they grow older. This builds confidence in the child enabling him/her to overcome bedwetting. Behavioral therapy combined with counseling
  • Reducing the amount of fluids your child drinks two hours before bed, but encourage them to stay hydrated during the day (fluid shifting)
  • Eliminating bladder irritants including caffeine, carbonation and artificial colors
  • Constipation management
  • Creating a schedule for bathroom use (changing toilet habits)
In addition to behavioral changes, the following can also provide relief
  • Bedwetting or moisture alarm
  • Medications like desmopressin

What is a Moisture Alarm?

A moisture alarm is a small sensory device that can be put on the child’s bed or inside his underwear. The alarm responds to the first drops of urine and triggers a buzzer that awakens the child. The child can then get up, and go to the toilet to relieve themselves.

Medication

Medications can be used for the short term to give confidence to the child. They can be also used when the child spends the night at a friend’s place or goes out socially.

Desmopressin tablets work effectively and can be given sublingually or as tablets and reduce urine production at night.

Other drugs like anticholinergics may also be used but desmopressin is more effective for the condition. The bladder may be trained to hold large quantities of urine for a long period of time. Children may also be trained during the day to drink large quantities of water and prolong the periods between urination (2).

Treatments That are Not Recommended

  • Many parents think that if their child stops eating and drinking many hours before bed, will reduce or get rid of bedwetting. But this rarely helps. It is a good idea to limit liquids before bedtime.
  • Scheduled night waking, can be a short-term relief but it is hard to continue over time.
  • Pelvic floor muscle exercises are recommended for adults with bladder control problems. But this is not recommended for children.
  • Homeopathy, herbal cures and chiropractic practices have not been found to help with children's bedwetting (3).
If your child experience secondary bedwetting, you should not do the following :
  • Children do not wet the bed due to laziness or intentionally. Expressing anger or disappointment make the child lose the confidence it won’t help with bedwetting.
  • Discussing children’s bed wetting with peers or family can increase anxiety and embarrassment. It create a lasting emotional scar in child.
  • Don’t compare your child to siblings or peers. All children are different and develop at their own pace. Comparing them can increase stress and lower self-esteem.
  • Don’t expect instant results. Sometime all a child need is time and supportive parent. There are no quick fixes for bedwetting habits (4).

Interesting Facts about Bedwetting

  • Bedwetting is found more commonly in boys than in girls.
  • Most children gain day-time control by the age of 3, but night-time control takes a little longer; girls often achieve this earlier than boys.
  • At 5 years of age, around 1 in 6 children still wet the bed.
  • Around 17% of 7 year old boys wet the bed. Around 10% of 7 year old girls wet the bed.
  • By the age of 10, only one in 15 still wet the bed.
  • Even in adulthood 1 in 100 still suffer from the problem.
  • Enuresis is often hereditary and a child has 77% probability of bedwetting if both parents wet the bed when they were young.
  • If one parent wet the bed as a child, the risk of his/her children also being affected by bedwetting is around 40-44%.
  • Only 5-10% of bedwetting cases are due to underlying medical conditions.
  • You should seek medical help if the child continues bedwetting even after 5-7 years of age.

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FAQs

1. Does bedwetting affect a child's confidence and self-esteem?

Yes, bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) can affect a child's confidence and self-esteem, leading to feelings of embarrassment, shame, and anxiety. Many children may avoid sleepovers or social activities due to fear of accidents, which can result in social withdrawal. It can also cause frustration and a sense of helplessness, especially if they feel they have no control over it. A supportive and understanding approach from parents, without punishment or blame, can help reassure the child and boost their confidence while addressing the issue (5).

2. Can bedwetting be a sign of an overactive bladder?

Yes, bedwetting can be a sign of an overactive bladder (OAB). An overactive bladder causes frequent and sudden urges to urinate, which can lead to involuntary leakage, also during sleep. Children with OAB may experience urgency, frequent daytime urination, or occasional daytime accidents in addition to bedwetting. Do you think you have overactive bladder, take medindia’s overactive bladder syndrome calculator to assess it (6)

3. Can using diapers or pull-ups prolong bedwetting?

Yes, using diapers or pull-ups for bedwetting can potentially prolong the issue, especially if they provide a sense of security that prevents the child from recognizing or responding to the body's natural signals to wake up when they need to urinate. When children rely on diapers or pull-ups, they might not develop the awareness or control needed to manage bedwetting on their own.

However, they can also offer short-term comfort and help prevent embarrassment, so it's essential to balance this with a strategy that encourages the child’s development of bladder control (7).

4. Can asthma cause bedwetting?

Asthma can contribute to bedwetting in some cases, although it's not a direct cause. Factors like sleep disruptions due to asthma symptoms (e.g., coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath) can make it harder for a child to wake up when they need to urinate.

Asthma medications, such as inhalers or steroids, may affect bladder control or disrupt sleep. Stress and anxiety related to managing asthma can also play a role in triggering or worsening bedwetting (8).

5.  Is it possible for teenagers or adults to still wet the bed?

Yes, bedwetting can persist into adolescence or adulthood, though it's less common. It can be caused by factors like medical conditions (e.g., urinary tract infections, diabetes, or bladder dysfunction), genetic predisposition, stress or anxiety, sleep disorders, or hormonal imbalances Individuals with a family history of bedwetting or those experiencing emotional stress may be more prone to it (9).

6. Can drinking less water during the day help prevent bedwetting?

No, restricting fluids too much during the day can make the bladder more sensitive and irritable. Instead, focus on limiting drinks 1-2 hours before bedtime (10).

7. Can ADHD cause bedwetting?

Yes, children with ADHD are more likely to experience bedwetting. This is because ADHD can affect impulse control, sleep patterns, and bladder control, all of which contribute to difficulty staying dry at night.

Children with ADHD may have delayed development of the brain regions responsible for bladder control and may also experience deep sleep, making it harder to wake up when the bladder is full. Additionally, medications used for ADHD can affect bladder function in some cases (11).

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Comments

sunil, India - Dec 26, 2024

Very Nice calculator.Very useful

AsitKanta, India - Dec 26, 2024

Nice calculator

sophai, United States - Sep 06, 2023

Helpful; information

sophai, India - Aug 16, 2023

Thank you for the interactive calculator. Best advice I have had in all these years for my child

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