Bedwetting (Nocturnal Enuresis)
What is bedwetting?
Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) means a child passes urine in the night when they are asleep. Many parents expect children aged three to be dry at night. Although many children are dry at this age, it is common to need nappies at night until school age. However, even beyond this age, bedwetting is common. About 1 in 7 children aged five, and 1 in 20 children aged ten, are bedwetters. Bedwetting is still considered normal in children under the age of five years.
A child who has never been dry at night has primary nocturnal enuresis. A child who has had a good period of dry nights, but then develops bedwetting has secondary nocturnal enuresis. Bedwetting is twice as common in boys as it is in girls.
What causes bedwetting?
In most children there is no specific cause. Bedwetting is not your child's fault. It occurs because the volume of urine produced at night-time is more than your child's bladder can hold. The sensation of a full bladder does not seem to be strong enough to wake up your child at night.
Some factors are thought to make bedwetting worse or more likely. They may tip the balance in some children on some nights. These include the following:
In most children there is no specific cause. Bedwetting is not your child's fault. It occurs because the volume of urine produced at night-time is more than your child's bladder can hold. The sensation of a full bladder does not seem to be strong enough to wake up your child at night.
Some factors are thought to make bedwetting worse or more likely. They may tip the balance in some children on some nights. These include the following:
- Times of stress may start up bedwetting again after a period of dryness. For example: starting school, arrival of a new baby, illness, bullying, abuse.
- Drinks and foods that contain caffeine. These include tea, coffee, cola and chocolate. Caffeine increases the amount of urine made by the kidneys (it is a diuretic).
- Constipation. Large stools (faeces) in the rectum may press on and irritate the back of the bladder. In particular, children who have chronic (persistent) constipation are more likely to have a bedwetting problem.
- Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have an increased risk of having a bedwetting problem.
Other specific medical causes of bedwetting are rare. For example: a urine infection, sleep apnoea (pauses in breathing whilst asleep) due to an obstructed airway, diabetes and rare disorders of the bladder may cause bedwetting. A specific medical cause is more likely if daytime wetting occurs in addition to bedwetting. A doctor can usually rule out these causes by examining the child and testing a urine sample. Occasionally, more tests are done in children who have daytime wetting to check for rare bladder problems.
The following are some general tips that may help:
Nappies
If you decide "now is the time", then stop using nappies. Some older children are still put in nappies at night when trying to be dry. This gives them little motivation or need to be dry. The risk without nappies is wet beds for a while. However, in younger children, if a trial period without nappies does not work out, then go back to nappies for a while and try again at a later date.
If you decide "now is the time", then stop using nappies. Some older children are still put in nappies at night when trying to be dry. This gives them little motivation or need to be dry. The risk without nappies is wet beds for a while. However, in younger children, if a trial period without nappies does not work out, then go back to nappies for a while and try again at a later date.
Patience, reassurance and love
As mentioned above, if trying without nappies fails at age three, it may be wise to give up for a while and then try again a few months later. Treatments are not normally needed or advised for children under the age of five years. Keep trying every few months until successful. Even if your child is bedwetting when they start school, there is a high chance that it will stop soon. There is a great variation in when children become naturally dry at night.
Do not punish children for bedwetting. It is not their fault. Rather, they should be praised and made a fuss of if you notice any improvement. Try to be sensitive to any family or school disruption that might be stressful to your child. If bedwetting appears after a period of dryness, it may reflect a hidden stress or fear (such as bullying at school, etc).
Explaining to children
It needs your child's co-operation to be dry at night. As soon as your child is old enough to understand, a simple explanation on the following lines can be helpful. "The body makes water (wee) all the time and stores it in the bladder. The bladder is like a balloon which fills up with water. We open the bladder's tap when the bladder gets full. The bladder fills up at night when we are asleep. However, the bladder tap should not go to sleep, and should wake us up when the bladder is full."
As mentioned above, if trying without nappies fails at age three, it may be wise to give up for a while and then try again a few months later. Treatments are not normally needed or advised for children under the age of five years. Keep trying every few months until successful. Even if your child is bedwetting when they start school, there is a high chance that it will stop soon. There is a great variation in when children become naturally dry at night.
Do not punish children for bedwetting. It is not their fault. Rather, they should be praised and made a fuss of if you notice any improvement. Try to be sensitive to any family or school disruption that might be stressful to your child. If bedwetting appears after a period of dryness, it may reflect a hidden stress or fear (such as bullying at school, etc).
Explaining to children
It needs your child's co-operation to be dry at night. As soon as your child is old enough to understand, a simple explanation on the following lines can be helpful. "The body makes water (wee) all the time and stores it in the bladder. The bladder is like a balloon which fills up with water. We open the bladder's tap when the bladder gets full. The bladder fills up at night when we are asleep. However, the bladder tap should not go to sleep, and should wake us up when the bladder is full."
Child's responsibility
When old enough (about age five or six), encourage your child to help change any wet sheets. It may be quicker for parents to do it, but many children respond to being given responsibility. It might also give extra motivation for them to get out of bed and go to the toilet to avoid the chore of changing the sheets. Try to make it a matter-of-fact routine with as little fuss as possible.
When old enough (about age five or six), encourage your child to help change any wet sheets. It may be quicker for parents to do it, but many children respond to being given responsibility. It might also give extra motivation for them to get out of bed and go to the toilet to avoid the chore of changing the sheets. Try to make it a matter-of-fact routine with as little fuss as possible.
Getting up
Make sure there are no hidden fears or problems about getting up at night. For example, fear of the dark or spiders, getting up from a top bunk, etc. Try leaving the bathroom light on.
Make sure there are no hidden fears or problems about getting up at night. For example, fear of the dark or spiders, getting up from a top bunk, etc. Try leaving the bathroom light on.
Drinks
Restricting drinks sounds sensible, but it does not help to cure bedwetting. The bladder has to get used to filling up and holding on to urine. If you limit drinks all day then the bladder cannot be trained to hold onto larger amounts of urine. A sensible plan is only to give drinks to your child if he or she is thirsty in the 2-3 hours before bedtime. Do not restrict drinks for the rest of the day. Most children should drink about 6-8 cups of fluid a day.
Also, as mentioned above, caffeine in tea, coffee, cola and chocolate may make bedwetting worse. These are therefore ideally avoided, especially in the few hours before bedtime.
Restricting drinks sounds sensible, but it does not help to cure bedwetting. The bladder has to get used to filling up and holding on to urine. If you limit drinks all day then the bladder cannot be trained to hold onto larger amounts of urine. A sensible plan is only to give drinks to your child if he or she is thirsty in the 2-3 hours before bedtime. Do not restrict drinks for the rest of the day. Most children should drink about 6-8 cups of fluid a day.
Also, as mentioned above, caffeine in tea, coffee, cola and chocolate may make bedwetting worse. These are therefore ideally avoided, especially in the few hours before bedtime.
Lifting
It is common practice to wake children up to take them to the toilet several hours after they go to sleep. However, this lifting is of little use, and may even prolong the problem. Your child has to get used to waking up when their bladder is full. Children often do not remember being lifted, and it usually does not help to achieve their own bladder control.
However, make sure your child goes to the toilet just before bedtime. If your child does wake in the night then you should encourage them to go to the toilet then.
It is common practice to wake children up to take them to the toilet several hours after they go to sleep. However, this lifting is of little use, and may even prolong the problem. Your child has to get used to waking up when their bladder is full. Children often do not remember being lifted, and it usually does not help to achieve their own bladder control.
However, make sure your child goes to the toilet just before bedtime. If your child does wake in the night then you should encourage them to go to the toilet then.
Constipation
If your child is constipated, see a doctor for advice and treatment. Treatment of constipation often cures bedwetting too.
If your child is constipated, see a doctor for advice and treatment. Treatment of constipation often cures bedwetting too.
Nights away
A common worry is that staying with friends or relatives will be embarrassing. However, it is not uncommon to find that the bedwetting stops for the nights away in a strange bed. A few days away with an understanding relative or friend may result in dry nights. This may be a very positive experience and encouraging for your child.
A common worry is that staying with friends or relatives will be embarrassing. However, it is not uncommon to find that the bedwetting stops for the nights away in a strange bed. A few days away with an understanding relative or friend may result in dry nights. This may be a very positive experience and encouraging for your child.
Practical measures
Use waterproof covers for mattress and duvet, and use absorbent quilted sheets. A moisturiser cream is useful to rub on the skin that is likely to become wet, to prevent chaffing and soreness.
Use waterproof covers for mattress and duvet, and use absorbent quilted sheets. A moisturiser cream is useful to rub on the skin that is likely to become wet, to prevent chaffing and soreness.
Further information and help
ERIC - Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence
34 Old School House, Britannia Road, Kingswood, Bristol, BS15 8DBTel (helpline): 0845 370 8008 Tel (admin): 0117 960 3060 Web: www.eric.org.uk
Provides support and information (including booklets, CD-ROM, DVD, and video), and sells a range of products including alarms, mattress and bedding covers, waterproof duvets, etc.
References
- Bedwetting (enuresis), Clinical Knowledge Summaries (January 2011)
- Nocturnal enuresis - the management of bedwetting in children and young people, NICE Clinical Guideline (October 2010); The management of bedwetting and nocturnal enuresis in children and young people
- Kwak KW, Lee YS, Park KH, et al; Efficacy of desmopressin and enuresis alarm as first and second line treatment J Urol. 2010 Dec;184(6):2521-6. Epub 2010 Oct 18. [abstract]
- Kwak KW, Park KH, Baek M; The efficacy of enuresis alarm treatment in pharmacotherapy-resistant nocturnal Urology. 2011 Jan;77(1):200-4. Epub 2010 Oct 13. [abstract]
- Butler RJ, Heron J; The prevalence of infrequent bedwetting and nocturnal enuresis in childhood. A large British cohort. Scand J Urol Nephrol. 2008;42(3):257-64. [abstract]
- Brown ML, Pope AW, Brown EJ; Treatment of primary nocturnal enuresis in children: a review. Child Care Health Dev. 2011 Mar;37(2):153-60. doi: [abstract]
- Glazener CM, Evans JH, Peto RE; Alarm interventions for nocturnal enuresis in children.; Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Apr 18;(2):CD002911. [abstract]
- Glazener CM, Evans JH; Desmopressin for nocturnal enuresis in children.; Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(3):CD002112. [abstract]
