Most children are potty trained by the age of five, but there is no set age for achieving total bladder control. Bedwetting is a common occurrence that frequently runs in families. Your child may not seem to be able to get through the night without wetting the bed, no matter how hard they try. This can be frustrating for you are your little one.
The good news is that most children will outgrow bedwetting. However, there are situations when medical assistance may be required, especially if your child has an underlying condition that needs to be addressed by a doctor. Other causes can include stress and anxiety, which may be brought on by problems at home or at school.
Bedwetting tips
If your child is wetting the bed, these are some ways you can try to treat it at home:
- Encouraging enough hydration during the day
- Creating a toilet schedule
- Reward your child for positive improvements
- Waterproof your child’s sleeping materials
- Make access to the toilet easy at night
- Set the alarm for your child to use the toilet at night
You should not:
- Punish your child
- Give your child caffeine containing liquids
- Waking them up too often to use the toilet at night
When should you see a doctor?
You should consider consulting your doctor if the problem persists after the age of seven, if they wet the bed after consistently being dry for a period of a few months, or if painful urination happens when your child wets the bed. If your child is extremely thirsty, has hard stools, snores in their sleep or has either discoloured urine, consult your doctor. Dr Vahed will be able to determine whether or not your child is bedwetting as a result of stress or a medical condition, which is very unlikely.