Coping With Common Problem of Bedwetting

Bedwetting is the most common urologic problem in childhood. It is generally taken as developmental delay and not as emotional or physical illness. Some toddlers are not developmentally ready to sense that their bladder is full and they need to wake up at night. There are many underlying reasons for bedwetting. Only few cases are caused by specific medical situations. Bedwetting is generally associated with family history. Studies show that if one of the both parents has faced the problem in childhood, then there are 50% chances that their child will also face it. Heredity plays an integral role in some cases. Those children who have small bladder than normal are likely to suffer from the problem. Constipation and urinary tract infections may also cause full bowel to exert pressure on the Bladder. Certain stressful events in the child’s life also trigger this problem such as quarrelling parents, moving to new school, arrival of a sibling, sudden shift in the residential place, etc. Dealing it - • Parents mustn’t scold their toddler as it will not stop him from wetting the bed until he's developmentally ready. In fact, negativity will only aggravate the problem further. So, parents need to be patient, till their child is ready. • Develop a habit in toddlers to use the bathroom right before going to bed. Determine the time when bed-wetting usually occurs at night. Set an alarm, and walk up to the toddler and make him use the washroom. • An advice for parents is to wait at least six months after toilet training of the toddler before giving a test run. Put him on a diaper or training pants for a few more months until he wakes up dry. • To avoid wetness for the child’s sake use diapers at night or you can also use a rubber sheet to prevent bed sheet from being wet. Sound sleep is must for the toddler. Don’t compromise on that. • To figure out if your child is ready for nighttime training, check his diaper in the morning to see whether he's managed to stay dry all night long. • If the problem aggravates, parents need to consult a pediatrician. It should be discussed in detail and possibilities of medical problem should be ruled out. • Exercises also help. Pediatrician can also recommend specific exercises to older children to help increase bladder control. If the problem persists, older children can make use of moisture-activated device that will wake them.