Bedwetting in Children & Teenagers: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Bedwetting is NOT a child’s fault.
Bedwetting is NOT a child’s fault.
STOP beating children.
Bedwetting is NOT a child’s fault.
Bedwetting is NOT a child’s fault.
There are many reasons why children may bedwet. It is evil and ignorant to beat a child for bedwetting.
Bedwetting is NOT demonic
– STOP beating children.
Bedwetting is NOT demonic.
Bedwetting is NOT demonic.
STOP beating children.
Bedwetting is NOT a child’s fault.
Bedwetting is NOT a child’s fault.
Again, there are many medical reasons why children bedwet. Let’s talk about it.
This child just wet the bed
What is Bedwetting?
It is also referred to as “nocturnal enuresis” in medical circles. It refers to an involuntary control of unrination mostly at night during sleep after an age that a child should have achieved control of their bladder.
It can affect children and teenagers.
Most children tend don’t bedwet after the age of 3-4 years; and most doctors tend to offer help to any child over the age of 5years and above that is still bedwetting.
Again, as I stated earlier – There are many reasons why a child may bedwet- but it is NEVER the child’s fault.
In the UK, up to half a million children and teenagers are bedwetting. In America, it is believed that up to 1 out of every 100 teenagers still bedwet. I don’t know the numbers for Nigeria but looking at the way some of my friends were beaten for years, it is common here too.
So what causes children to bedwet:
1. Bedwetting runs in families. If a child’s mother/father used to bedwet while growing up, there’s a 40% chance the child will bedwet. If both parents used to bedwet, the child has a 70% chance.
So all those parents beating their children.
So all those parents beating their children need to slow down, because there’s a good chance the child got it from them
So if you have a child that bedwets, Before you beat that child, ask yourself or your own parents a sincere question- “Did I the parent used to bedwet?”
2. Constipation: When a child is constipated and there’s too much of poo in the bowels, it can press on the bladder and make the child bedwet at night.
3. Diabetes: Bedwetting may be a sign a child has what we call Type1 diabetes. Diabetes also affects children- not just adults.
4. Caffeine/Tea: This drinks make people urinate a lot more and if a child takes them late at night, they may bedwet more.
5. Urine Infection: Sometimes bedwetting is a sign a child has urine infection especially if that child also has fever, pain on urination and tummy aches.
6. Stress/Emotional problems: Bedwetting may be a sign that a child is going through stress – Parents divorced, school bullying, abuse/violence at home, change of home/school, low self esteem etc Especially if it’s a child that never previously bedwetted, stress can be a trigger.
But basically, 3 main reasons why children wet bed: *Their bladders don’t stretch enough to hold all the wee they make at night.
*They produce too much wee at night.
*They don’t wake up when their bladder sends a signal that it’s full. Unfortunately, some children have this.
Bedwetting can be caused by one or more of all these reasons that I’ve stated above. The good news however is that BEDWETTING IS TREATABLE. NO child should be beaten for bedwetting. NO child should be humiliated for bedwetting. NO child should be made to feel inferior for this.
Treatment: How to stop bedwetting:
All children should stop bedwetting by 5years old. Most children will. Don’t stress yourself as a parent or cater if your child is under 5year old and still bedwets. Please be patient and don’t panic. A child only needs medical help after 5years old.
Simple Tips to help a bedwetting child:
1. Offer plenty of drinks during the day. That helps to prevent constipation. For a child 4-8years, give 1.4 litres of water per day. For a child 9-13, give 2.3litres of water per day. Always make sure your child drinks enough water.
2. Drinks containing caffeine (such as cola drinks, tea and coffee) should be avoided. Especially one hour from bed time The child or young person’s foods and diet should not be restricted or cutdown in any way to try and treat bedwetting. Don’t torture a child by starving them.
3. Encourage the child to use the toilet during the day at regular intervals- up to 4-7 times a day- and also make sure the child goes to urinate just before bed time. That helps to empty the bladder and prevent bedwetting. Make sure the toilet is not far from the child’s room.
4. Try a Reward Scheme: Bedwetting is NOT a child’s fault- So don’t make the reward based on “if you don’t bedwet I will do/buy this for you”. That’s unfair and unrealistic. Rather have a reward system based on the child following the simple tips and instructions that can help. For example “If you drink so-so amount of water during the day or If you go to pee just before you go to bed I will buy you so-so toy at the toy shop”. Always keep your end of the bargain. And even if the child fails, as long as you can see the child making effort, reward them.
Pls Note: NEVER carry the child to toilet at midnight or wake the child at night to pee. You are NOT helping the child to overcome the problem and deal with the challenge. Your job is to help and guide the child win the battle- not to fight it for them. Please don’t forget this.
IF the simple tips above are not helping after few weeks and the child is still bedwetting- the next step is buy a BEDWETTING ALARM. The alarm has a sensor that rings and wakes the child up to go and pee once they start to bedwet. This is very helpful for children over 5years.
You can easily get the bedwetting alarm at a good pharmacy or you can easily order online. You may try eBay or Amazon and see if they have. But the Bedwetting Alarm is quite helpful. If despite all these simple tips and the alarm, the person is still bed wetting, see a doctor.
If despite the simple tips I stated and the bedwetting alarm, the person is still bedwetting- see a doctor for two reasons-
1. There may be a serious bladder problem going on in the background causing the bed-wetting- a doctor can help you figure it out and suggest treatment.
2. There are medicines that can help with bedwetting. They are quite effective and a doctor can easily prescribe it for you to try.
On a final note:
Do NOT beat a child for bed-wetting.
Do NOT make any child dance round the house naked.
Do NOT make any child to pee on coal/ashes.
Thanks for reading. It’s a bit of a long thread.
But that’s everything you need to know about bed-wetting in children and older teenagers. Please share your experiences.
Ask your questions. Retweet for others as well and feel free to share on any other platforms you deem fit.
