Enuresis is the medical term for bedwetting. Nocturnal enuresis is involuntary urination that happens at night while sleeping, after the age when a person should be able to control his or her bladder.
There are two types of nocturnal enuresis.
Primary nocturnal enuresis is when a child who never achieved dry nights since potty training
Secondary nocturnal enuresis is when a child achieved consistent dry nights for at least six months but has now started bedwetting again. Mostly, this type of bedwetting is related to a stressful event like birth of a sibling, parent divorce, change of school etc.
What Causes Enuresis?
Nocturnal enuresis has different causes all children will not wet the bed for the same reasons.
Some of these are the most common causes of nocturnal enuresis:
Genetics. If both parents wet the bed as children, there is a 75% chance that their child will also experience bedwetting.
Bladder problems. Some children have relatively small bladders that can’t hold a large volume of urine.
Medical conditions. diabetes, urinary tract abnormalities, constipation play a role in enuresis.
Neurological development. This delay causes that the bladder may not be able to signal the brain to wake up for a bathroom visit.
Psychological problems. Stress, divorce, the death of a friend or family member, a move to a new town and adapting to a new school or family tension can be the reason.
How Is Nocturnal Enuresis Treated?
- Using a technique called positive imagery, where you practice waking up dry before you go to sleep, can help some children stop bedwetting.
- Decreasing the amount of fluids, they drink before going to bed
- Do not punish your child for wetting the bed, they may get feelings of shame, anxiety, and confusion.
- Treat constipation if present.
- Use bedwetting alarms. With these nocturnal enuresis alarms, a sensor goes off when a bedwetter begins to wet the bed. Then a child can get up, go to the toilet, and go back to sleep without wetting the bed too much. Slowly the alarm develops brain bladder connection and help stop bedwetting permanently.
