Here’s why your child may be wetting their bed

You may scold your child for wetting the bed often, but what you are doing is depleting their confidence. Have you ever considered that their act may not deliberate? According to Pretoria based counselling psychologist, Sigi Graham, from the Child Behaviour Centre, bed-wetting may be a result of a medical condition, genetics, sleep problems, hormonal problems or emotional problems. The inability to control urine is medically known as enuresis and experts say it often affects boys. “It’s estimated that 10% of five-year-olds wet their beds. These figures reduce steadily each year and only about 5% of children still wet their beds by the time they are 10 years old.”

Bladder problem

If your child has a problem with bladder control, it’s best to take him to a medical professional to find out what the problem is. “A child will have to wet his bed at least twice a week for a period of three consecutive months before a diagnosis of enuresis can be made,” says Graham

Types of bed-wetting:

1. Nocturnal enuresis – this happens at night while a child is asleep.

2. Diurnal enuresis – this happens while a child is awake.

3. Nocturnal and diurnal enuresis – this happens both during the day and night.

4. Primary enuresis –the condition of a child who’s never developed bladder control.

5. Secondary enuresis –the condition of a child that develops enuresis at least six months after he learnt to control his bladder.

When to seek professional help

Graham says children shouldn’t be shamed for wetting their beds and advises that If you’re worried about your child’s health or bladder control you should voice these concerns to your paediatrician. “If there’s anything to be concerned about,” he says , “the doctor will advise you as to what to do next and how to handle the situation,” he emphasises, adding that  exercise, habit changes and medication may be used to treat enuresis. Before treatment for bed-wetting can be prescribed, a child will have to undergo a medical examination to determine the possible cause of his problem. Treatment may sometimes include medication, psychological evaluation or therapy. The doctor may also advise adjustments to the child’s diet. “Parents should restrict their child’s fluid intake before bedtime and make sure they visit the toilet just before they go to bed. The child should pay another visit to the toilet before the parents go to bed as well,” recommends Graham.

Maintain a positive attitude You cannot work towards success if you are impatient and keep shouting your child wherever they wet the bed. You need to be patient and a pillar of strength to motivate your child to succeed. Here is what you can do to minimise the damage: • Invest in a mattress protector to minimise damage to your child’s bed. • If your child does wet their bed, help them clean up and put him back to bed. • Protect your child’s dignity and don’t make fun of the situation. • Avoid punishing your child and placing any unnecessary pressure on them as this may add to the problem and not resolve it.