When your child still wets the bed....

Every single morning when your child wakes up his/her sheets needs to be washed because they wet it during the night.  

This is normal for babies who are still potty training, but if your child is old enough to control his/her bladder, you are getting concerned.

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Believe it or not but this is a common problem in children under the age of 6 years, but it can also be a sign that something else that is wrong.

Doctors are still trying to figure out exactly why this happens, but most of the time it is just a part of growing up and do not necessarily a sign of underlying problems and most of the time kids outgrow it but in some instances it can carry on into the teenage years.

Even though it will go away on its own, it can cause a lot of stress for a child, especially if they want to go for a sleepover at a friend's house.  

It can make them anxious and feel embarrassed and it is your job as a parent to assure them that it is part of growing up and that you are not cross with them.

Do not make the situation worse by laughing at them or allowing anybody in the family to tease them.

You can also help by giving your child more fluids during the day and stop at a certain time at night.  Also remind them to visit the bathroom before bed time and can even give small incentives like stickers on a board showing when they did not wet their bed - this will depend on the type of personality your child has.  

Some kids will see it as a positive thing to be proud of, every sticker means it was a good night, but some kids will see it as negative where they feel they need more stickers and then putting more pressure on themselves and in return have the opposite effect of a "dry night".

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If your child does wake up in a wet bed, do not yell at them or punish them, let them help you change the sheets and themselves and try and motivate them to try and wake up and go to the bathroom during the night.  

If your child does have a night without an "accident", make sure you praise them and make a big thing of it, so that they can also feel proud.

Read here for more information on older children wetting their beds.

If wetting their bed is something that begins suddenly, it can be a sign of an underlying problem.  It is a good idea to take him/her to the doctor because it can be a urinary tract infection, or because of constipation, bladder problems or severe stress.

Call the doctor if 

• your child has been having dry nights for more than 6 months and starts wetting their bed again
• they start wetting their pants during the day
• they have to visit the toilet often or they complain about pain or a burning sensation when they pee
• the child's feet or ankles are swollen
• they drink or eat more than usual
• you are frustrated with the situation or the child is very stressed

You can read here for more information.

Your doctor will be able to help you with medication or you can follow the natural route and try helping your child to have some "dry nights".

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