When is bedwetting a problem in children

Bathroom habits, such as holding urine too long, and slow physical development cause many of the bladder control problems seen in children. Less often, a medical condition can cause wetting.

Learn which children are more likely to have bladder control problems. Health problems can sometimes cause daytime wetting, too, such as bladder or kidney infections UTIs , structural problems in the urinary tract , or nerve problems.

When children hold their urine too long, it can trigger problems in how the bladder works or make existing problems worse. These bladder problems include:. Bladder muscles squeeze at the wrong time, without warning, causing a loss of urine. Your child may have strong, sudden urges to urinate.

She may urinate frequently—8 or more times a day. Children only empty the bladder a few times a day, with little urge to urinate. Bladder contractions can be weak, and your child may strain when urinating, have a weak stream, or stop-and-go urine flow.

Muscles and nerves of the bladder may not work together smoothly. As the bladder empties, sphincter or pelvic floor muscles may cut off urine flow too soon, before the bladder empties all the way. Urine left in the bladder may leak. Nighttime wetting is often related to slow physical development, a family history of bedwetting, or making too much urine at night. In many cases, there is more than one cause.

Children almost never wet the bed on purpose—and most children who wet the bed are physically and emotionally normal. Sometimes a health condition can lead to bedwetting, such as diabetes or constipation. The treatment for monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis bedwetting with no daytime symptoms is an alarm device, with desmopressin as second-line therapy. Treatment for non-monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis bedwetting with daytime symptoms--urgency and frequency, with or without incontinence should initially focus on the daytime symptoms.

Bedwetting without daytime symptoms, the most common toileting problem, can be effectively treated with an alarm device. The genetics of enuresis: A review. Journal of Urology, 6 , — Shreeram, S. Cohen-Zrubavel, V. Sleep and sleepiness in children with nocturnal enuresis. Sleep, 34 2 , — Tajima-Pozo, K. Case Reports, jun10 1 , bcr Anyanwu, O. Nocturnal enuresis among Nigerian children and its association with sleep, behavior and school performance. Indian Pediatrics, 52 7 , — National Clinical Guideline Centre.

Nocturnal enuresis: The management of bedwetting in children and young people. Mind-Body therapies in children and youth. Pediatrics, 3 , e Zivkovic, V. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises and pelvic floor retraining in children with dysfunctional voiding. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 48 3 , — Enuresis Alarms in the management of bedwetting. Redsell, S. Bedwetting, behaviour and self-esteem: a review of the literature. Child: Care, Health and Development, 27 2 , — Learn more about Children and Sleep.

Updated By Eric Suni September 24, By Danielle Pacheco September 17, By Alexa Fry June 24, By Danielle Pacheco June 24, By Tom Ryan May 25, By Elise Chahine May 19, By Danielle Pacheco January 28, Load More Articles. Other Articles of Interest Baby Sleep. There's no better time to start the journey to improving your sleep. Get helpful tips, expert information, videos, and more delivered to your inbox. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits.

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