Bed Wetting Symptoms, Causes, Risk Factors, Complications, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Bed Wetting ?

Bed wetting is a common concern in growing children. It is a normal part of the development of a child, and does not mean the failure of toilet training. The child who wets bed would wake up with soggy trousers and sheets, and would feel completely embarrassed.

Also known as nocturnal enuresis, wetting of bed is not considered a problem before the age of seven. Reason being, the child tends to be in the phase of learning bladder control at night time. In case the problem continues, then the parents must ensure complete support and cooperation. Children must never be mistreated for the purpose; instead, a right approach should be pursued for problem solving.

What Are The Symptoms Of Bed Wetting ?

The condition is marked by the involuntary urination at the time when the child is asleep, after the specific age wherein you can expect the child to stay dry and have developed complete bladder control. On average, children by reaching the age of five become toilet trained; however there is no standard age for this. Bed-wetting tends to remain a concern in few children between 5-7 years. After which, a small number of kids continues to wet bed.

What Causes Bed Wetting ?

The precise cause of bed-wetting is yet to be known, though a number of factors may contribute in the occurrence of bed wetting, these are:

A developing bladder.
Hormonal imbalance.
Nerves that are responsible for controlling the bladder are maturing gradually.
Stressful events.
Sleep apnea.
Urinary tract infection.
Bed wetting can be an indication of diabetes.
Chronic constipation.
Structural problem in nervous system or urinary tract.

What Are The Risk Factors Of Bed Wetting ?

A number of factors linked with the raised chances of bed-wetting are as follow:

The concern is more common in male children as compared to female.
In case both the parents, or the mother or father of the child used to wet bed as a child, then the possibility of bed wetting in the child him or herself also increases.
The concern is particularly common in kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Does Bed Wetting Can Lead To Any Complication ?

Bed-wetting, though being exasperating, is not a serious problem unless it has a physical cause. However, it can create great distress for the child, such as:

Embarrassment and guilt, these can cause low self-esteem.
Rashes on the genital area.

How Is Bed Wetting Diagnosis ?

The doctor will conduct a physical exam. Relying upon the circumstances, the doctor can suggest:

Urine tests.
X-rays of bladder or kidneys.
Other types of assessments or tests.

How Is Bed Wetting Treatment ?

Generally, children overgrow the problem by reaching the age of seven. In case bed-wetting persists even after the age, then it is advice to treat it with support and patience. Occurrence of bed-wetting can be minimized with: