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When to Seek Expert Support for a Child Who Wets the Bed
Bedwetting is a common problem for millions of kids, typically becoming less common as those children get older. Because it’s so common, many parents don’t know what’s normal for their child or when they need to seek medical treatment to stop the bedwetting.
At Atlanta Insomnia and Behavioral Health Services, our team specializes in treating all sorts of sleep disorders, including disorders that lead to bedwetting.
Learn why bedwetting happens and how to tell when it’s time to schedule an appointment for your child.
Bedwetting: Understanding the basics
Also called nocturnal enuresis, bedwetting is a normal part of toilet training and fairly common among kids up to about 5-6 years old.
While it’s not so hard to hold urine in during the day while you’re awake, it takes more time for a child’s brain and bladder to work together and recognize bedtime cues that prevent urination during sleep.
By the age of 5, more than 80% of kids stay dry during the night. The remainder of children may take longer to develop that connection between their brain and their bladder, and some continue to wet the bed even into adulthood.
Bedwetting tends to occur in families — if you wet the bed as a child, your child has an increased chance of developing bedwetting, too.
Primary and secondary bedwetting
There are two types of bedwetting: primary and secondary. Primary bedwetting is the most common type. It includes children (and adults) who have never consistently been dry during the night.
Secondary bedwetting describes the condition when kids who haven’t wet the bed for six or more consecutive months begin wetting the bed again. This might happen because of a change in sleep habits or environment or from physical or emotional issues.
The most important thing to know about nocturnal enuresis is that bedwetting is not the child’s fault nor is it the fault of the parent. It’s also not the result of laziness or problems with toilet training. The key is knowing when to wait and when to seek medical treatment.
When to seek medical treatment
If your child is 7 or older and still wetting the bed, it’s a good idea to schedule a medical evaluation to determine if there’s a physical or emotional issue that needs to be addressed. While not common, some bedwetting can be the result of:
- Chronic urinary tract infections
- Birth defects
- Spinal cord problems
- Diabetes
During your child’s visit, your pediatrician may also screen for emotional issues that could be playing a role.
Talk to your child’s doctor if bedwetting is making your child stressed or embarrassed, if it’s taking a toll on their self-esteem and self-confidence, or if it’s preventing your child from taking part in social activities, like sleepovers or camping excursions.
While underlying physical issues, like infections, require medication, many kids benefit from sleep therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, focused on understanding underlying emotional or psychological issues.
Our team specializes in techniques aimed at helping patients of all ages train their brain and bladder connection to prevent bedwetting and improve overall emotional well-being.
Find a solution for bedwetting
Bedwetting is not unusual in young children, but you need to know when to seek treatment for your child’s physical health and emotional wellness.
To learn how sleep therapy can help your child overcome a bedwetting habit, request an appointment online or over the phone with our team at Atlanta Insomnia and Behavioral Health Services in Decatur, Georgia, today.