Page 141 - (DK) Home Doctor: Providing practical advice on home treatments

COMMON CONDITIONS: CHILDREN’S PROBLEMS 139

Bedwetting

Although most children become reliably dry at night between the ages of 3 and 7, bedwetting (enuresis) is a
common problem for young children. Around 1 in 6 still wet the bed at 5 years; around 1 in 20 are still wetting
at age 10. Your child may need treatment if he or she continues after age 7, or starts again after 6 months or
more of dry nights. If your child wets the bed regularly, it is most likely to be because he or she has not yet
learned bladder control; this will improve in time. Bedwetting is rarely caused by a physical or psychological
problem, although a child who has been dry at night may have lapses due to a bladder infection or an emotional
upset such as bullying; constipation may also be a contributory factor. Bedwetting tends to run in families.

See your doctor first
PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE
Make an appointment to see your doctor if:
● You are concerned about bedwetting, Pad and buzzer alarm systems
especially if your child is over 7 years old These systems are sometimes advised for children
or has previously been dry at night over 7 years who regularly wet the bed, but they
● Your child has a fever and a burning feeling should be used only as a last resort and preferably
under medical supervision. They have a moisture-
when urinating, and needs to frequently detecting pad which is placed under the bottom
● You think your child may be constipated
sheet, and a buzzer beside the bed. As soon as a
child starts to urinate the buzzer sounds, waking the
child so he or she can go to the toilet. Over a few
What you can do yourself months, the child becomes conditioned to wake
before the buzzer sounds and becomes dry at night.
Most children grow out of bedwetting eventually,
but in the meantime, try the following steps. Positioning the pad
The pad is placed under the
● Never punish your child for bedwetting. Explain bottom sheet where the
to the child that the problem is not his or her fault. child’s hips will lie.
Moisture-
● Don’t restrict fluids, but ask your child not to detection pad
Buzzer
drink anything within 2 or 3 hours of bedtime.
Avoid giving chocolate or cola in the early evening.
● Put your child to bed earlier. Make sure he or she
uses the toilet before bed. Most bedwetting occurs
in the first third of the night, so try waking your
child to urinate before you go to bed.
● Don’t put your child in diapers at night, because
he or she may not then recognize the need to get
up and go to the toilet. Instead, use a waterproof-
backed oversheet or plastic mattress cover.
● Try linking your child’s progress to rewards. For
example, take a jar and give the child a marble to
drop in it for every dry night. Offer a reward for Seek further medical advice
a certain number of marbles. Ignore any relapses.
Arrange to see your doctor if:
● If the above measures have not worked, you
could try a pad and buzzer alarm system (see ● Your child’s bedwetting persists despite
PRACTICAL TECHNIQUE, right). using the measures described above