Are you a concerned parent in search of bedwetting solutions for your children? Bedwetting is a common and treatable condition. However, it can be stressful for the parents and kids alike. More often than not, it is advisable to adopt natural treatments as a cure for bedwetting.
Wetting the bed at night while asleep is noticed among children up to the age of 6 to 7 years. This condition is also known as nocturnal enuresis. A few other common names for this condition are 'night soiling' and 'sleep wetting.'
Interestingly, boys are more prone to this condition than girls. Many studies and researches have proved thatbedwetting is genetic. Chances of the kid wetting the bed are high if both the parents had a history of bedwetting.
Till the age of 6 or 7, bedwetting may not be a cause of concern for parents, because they may think that bladder control is not yet properly established.
Also, usually it is seen that children stop bedwetting as they grow older, and during the teen years, most of the children will have outgrown this problem on their own. Only one in hundred teens may continue bedwetting through adulthood.
Children, who wet the bed every night are said to have primary enuresis and those who revert to bedwetting after a gap of 6-8 months due to an external stimuli after being successfully trained have secondary enuresis.
Causes
The exact cause for nocturnal enuresis is not yet completely analyzed, though various factors may contribute to this condition. It is seen that children who suffer from this condition are normal physically and emotionally. The reasons could be:
The child's small urinary bladder
Immature bladder nerves that cannot exercise proper control
Body may be secreting less amount of anti-diuretic hormone
Long sleeping durations
Stressful events, or sleep apnea -- a condition that interrupts a child's breathing due to inflammation or enlargement of adenoids or tonsils
Infection or a defect in the urinary system
Difficulty in the movement of bowels
Ingesting caffeine-rich products, such as chocolate or coffee
Type I diabetes
Although rare, but birth defects, such as spina bifida or other spinal cord lesions can also cause bedwetting
Diagnosis
A specialist should be consulted if the child continues to wet even after 6 to 7 years of age, or starts bedwetting suddenly. One should also take a doctor's opinion if there is pain while urinating, fever, or if the child has pink discharge or blood in his urine.
The pediatrician will ask a series of questions regarding the family history of bedwetting, like:
Whether the problem began recently?
How many times does the kid wet the bed in one night?
Does the kid pass urine frequently during the daytime as well?
Is there any stress-causing activity, or any significant change in life that the child is facing?
What is the fluid and food intake?
Does the child feel a burning sensation while urinating?
After that, the child will be examined physically, and urine tests can be conducted to confirm any signs of infection, diabetes, etc. If the doctor detects some abnormality, he may ask for an X-ray or imaging of the child's kidneys and bladder.
Treatment
Although this condition does not cause any physical damage, a kid may suffer mentally because it chips away into his self-esteem and makes him feel embarrassed.
Sometimes, parents lack the appropriate bedwetting information. The solution that they resort to is doing nothing at all, or simply punishing the child for something that is not his mistake.
Reassurance is the magical word here! This problem requires patience, love, and support from the family members. Most children respond to treatment when they are supported by the encouraging behavior of their parents.
Simple measures should be taken, if the child continues the habit even after 7 years of age, like:
Rewarding the child every time he achieves a 'dry night', proves to be highly effective
A very good reward would be the book namedPrince Bravery & Grace - Attack of the Wet Knightsthat shows how the Prince overcame the habit of bedwetting in a fun way. Colorful images of the Prince and his pal, Dragon Grace make the book very attractive.
You can ask your child to pass urine before going to bed and also to repeat it before falling asleep. These routines may help a lot in preventing bedwetting.
Discourage the child to have fluids before bedtime. However, it should be kept in mind that thefluids are not restricted drasticallyas it may lead to other problems, like dehydration, kidney stones, etc.
The child should be encouraged to delay the daytime urination a little. This simple practice known as stretching exercise might help the bladder to hold more urine during the nighttime as well.
If the kid does not stop bedwetting even at seven years of age, the doctor may resort to more aggressive bedwetting cures.
A battery-operated alarm device might help the child to rise from his sleep when he feels the urge to pass urine. This device is placed somewhere near the child's undergarment. The device works by sensing moisture. It sets off an alarm sound, waking up the child to go to the lavatory.
The child should be trained to reset the alarm before going to sleep again. This alarm device is available at almost all medical shops without needing a prescription. Over time, the kid learns to wake up before the alarm goes off.
When All Treatments Fall Flat
The pediatrician might turn to medications if the above-mentioned solutions do not work.
Various medicines are available to reduce the production of urine during night, to alter the child's sleeping and waking styles, and to increase the capacity of the bladder. Some doctors argue that these medicines have certain adverse effects.
One can order several such medications and devices online.
But beware of the claims and promises of mail-order programs, which are too expensive and sometimes deceptive. Always trust a pediatrician's decision as he is the best advisor of bedwetting solutions and cures.
With a little patience and cooperation from parents, the solution to bedwetting might become easier. Instead of making the kid a laughing stock, praise the child for his efforts to stop bedwetting. This embarrassing condition can have a very negative impact on the child's self-esteem.
Honor the feelings of the child by trying to remove his stress and anxieties, thus providing the child a secure feeling, eventually helping him overcome the problem of bedwetting.
Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the diagnosis of a professional pediatrician. Visiting your physician is the safest way to diagnose and treat any health condition.