Bedwetting

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Enuresis

Doing nothing or punishing the child are both common responses to bedwetting. Neither helps. Waking the child once each night may yield dry sheets and improve self-esteem, but won't speed the end of bedwetting. Without taking steps to solve the bedwetting, about 85 percent of children wetting this year will still be wetting next year. With the proper help, most children can be dry within 12 weeks.

Some children just need to drink less than 2 ounces in the 2 hours before bed to decrease the amount of urine made. If the wetting doesn't improve within 2 weeks, though, continuing this won't help.

Some children respond to star charts. Getting a star for dry nights can help the sleeping brain be alert for the bladder's signal. Again, if the wetting doesn't improve within 2 weeks, continuing won't help. Gently telling the child as he is falling asleep to be ready later for his bladder's signal may be useful.

Many children will stop wetting with just 30 minutes more sleep each night.

Most will be dry within 12 weeks with a bedwetting alarm that wakes the parents (and then they wake the child) when the bladder is full. Here, you will often NOT see a response within the first two weeks. The alarms are small, unobtrusive and readily available without prescription at pharmacies, medical supply stores, and even department stores.

Prescription medications such as DDAVP are available to treat bedwetting by forcing the body to make less urine at night. They are easy to use and have quick results. They can be used short term for an important sleepover. To help outgrow bedwetting, however, they must be continued for at least 6 months beyond achieving dryness, and they are expensive.

With secondary enuresis, it is important to look for the cause before treating.

The condition poses no threat to the health of the child if there is no physical cause of bedwetting. The child may feel embarrassment or have a loss of self-esteem because of the problem. Most children respond to some type of treatment.

Complications may develop if a physical cause of the disorder is overlooked. Psychosocial complications may arise if the problem is not dealt with effectively in a timely manner.

Be sure to mention bedwetting to your child's health care provider. Children should have a physical exam and a urine test to rule out urinary tract infection or other causes.

Review Date: 08/23/2005
Reviewed By: John Goldenring, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.