Bed Wetting Causes
There are several methods used to treat bedwetting and it’s depending on the causes that lead to bedwetting.  In some cases, bedwetters have problem with some medical conditions such as bladder abnormally or diabetes.  However, this condition is not always due to certain disease.  Sometimes it could be a result of a traumatic experience or perhaps too much stress from external environment.  Anyway, parents should not take this matter lightly if the condition is interfering with the kid’s social life and affects the kid’s self-esteem.  Here are some treatments that might help you to tackle the situation.

Frequent bed wetting (enuresis) is common in children up to the age of six

Bed Wetting Alarm
Wearable bedwetting alarm is one of the most common treatments recommended by expert in order to stop wetting the bed. Bed wetting alarm works by sending out loud alarm sound when it detects moisture.  It is indeed a very effective device to wake children up at the sensation of a full bladder.  As a result they will urinate in the toilet instead of in the bed.  With success rates recorded as high as 70%, this device is highly recommended for bedwetter in order to stay dry at night.

Prescription Medication
Bed wetting treatment by using different drugs or medication has proven to be effective. For instance, Desmopressin (DDVAP) could act as a replacement for the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) to reduce the production of urine at night or when asleep.  Other medications such as Nortriptyline, Amitriptyline, and Imipramine are also effective to keep bedwetters to stay dray at night.  Besides, some medication like Tricyclic Anti-depressants help in increasing the amount of the time your kid could hold the urine.  However, high relapses rates observed once the medication ceased.  Medication is not always the best treatment options as they have certain side effects, thus they should be taken on the recommendation of doctor.  Please be reminded that an overdose could happen and in the long run lead to death.

Bedwetting Diapers
Absorbent underwear or bedwetting diaper does not really stop bedwetting.  But it does help to you’re the bed dry and stop you from the troublesome clean up job.  Plus, it helps bedwetter to have a more comfortable and uninterrupted sleep. Good news is bedwetting diapers these days are available for bedwetters of all ages. You can get different types of absorbent diapers for children as well as for adults.

Dry Bed Training
This training consists of a very strict schedule to bring the kids to the toilet each night.  Such practice tries to train children to respond to the full bladder and wake up on his own to relieve himself.  However, parents should aware that this technique takes longer time to see the real result and it’s depending on the individual.  Sometimes, it just doesn’t work out as expected.

Punishment Not Effective
Punishment is always not in bedwetting solutions handbook.  If you think that punishment could be an effective way to stop kid from wetting the bed, you are totally wrong.  As a matter of fact, it may interfere with other bed wetting solutions underway.  Plus, punishment will normally lead to development of certain insecurities on kid.  That’s closely related to the growing of low self-esteem on his little world.  Remember, punishment could make the situation even worse if your kid’s confidence is affected.

Bed wetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis or simply enuresis, is a condition wherein bedwetter – children and even some adults have the inability to control urination while in their sleep. The result is that bedwetters end up wetting their bed and only realize that it has happened after they wake up in the morning. It is actually a common problem among children three years old and below.

Enuresis - common problem among children

After that time, kids develop the ability to control their urination and sometime even wake up in the middle of the night every time they feel like urinating. But unfortunately, there are other kids who may not be as lucky. They may still experience the inability to control or even feel that they are urinating during their sleep. Around 15 percent of kids may still experience bed wetting after the age of three.

Studies have shown that boys are more likely to wet their beds than girls. Enuresis has also been found to run in the family. Bedwetters who have parents with a previous history of bed wetting when they were young are more likely to also develop the problem. Bed wetting usually stops by the time children reach the age of puberty.

In kids, bed wetting rarely is associated with a kidney or bladder problem. The usual case is that some kids may develop bladder control at a slower pace than normal. But there might be possibilities that some cases may be caused by certain infections. That is why it may also be a good suggestion to consult with a doctor to determine the actual cause of bed wetting in kids just to make sure.

Some doctors also believe that certain cases of bed wetting may be rooted in certain emotional or psychological issues. A kid suddenly experiencing bed wetting after a certain period of dryness mat be a reflection of certain new fears and insecurities that the child may have. Certain situations such as moving into a new home, the parents undergoing divorce, or losing a loved one may sometimes affect children in such a way as to cause them to wet their beds at night.

It is also important to note that making children feel embarrassed or shameful with their bed wetting experience would not be an effective way to help them stop the habit. What it may do is developing certain insecurities as well as makes kids feel bad about themselves for bed wetting. Bear in mind that children do not wet their beds on purpose.

Instead of making their children feel ashamed and embarrassed, parents should try to encourage and express confidence in their children that they will eventually out grow this condition. Positive reinforcement would usually work better in trying to stop bed wetting in children.

Common Causes

Bed wetting can be caused by a variety of things. The condition may commonly be caused by one or more factors. One of the more common causes involves the delay in the development of the ability to control their bladders. This is usually common among kids who seem to experience delays on their ability to control their bladders. This usually is not related other developmental problems and seem to occur commonly in children.

Another known cause of bed wetting may be related to genetics. Kids who have parents who experienced bed wetting while they were young also have greater chances of developing the same condition. Research has shown that there are certain genes associated with bed wetting and may be passed on to kids from their parents. Kids with parents who had enuresis when they were young are 77 percent more likely to develop the condition as compared to 15 percent for kids with parents who never experienced bed wetting.

Disease and Infection

Although genetics and developmental delays are two of the most common causes of bed wetting, doctors are not as fast to rule out other possible causes that may also be considered as serious. Poor control of the bladder can be due to certain infections in the urinary tract.

Certain physical abnormalities cause bed wetting

Physical Abnormalities

Sometimes bed wetting may be a result of certain physical abnormalities such as a smaller than normal bladder. This usually leads to lesser bladder capacity than may contribute to bed wetting in some people when they sleep at night. There are times when the body produces insufficient anti-diuretic hormone. This is especially more common in kids. The anti-diuretic hormone usually increases its production during night time, signalling the kidneys to produce less urine. This process usually is developed at around the age of ten.

Psychological Issues

There are times when the root cause of bed wetting may be psychological in nature. Extreme stress may be a factor in some people experiencing enuresis. Certain psychological disorders may also have enuresis as one of their symptoms. There are also studies that have found that people with certain mental handicaps also have a higher rate of bedwetting problems.

Other Factors

There are many other factors that may cause bed wetting in some people. Chronic constipation is one of them. There are times when pressure is exerted on the bladder at times when the bowels are full which can lead to enuresis. Alcohol and caffeine consumption may also cause bed wetting since they can help increase urine production when taken.

Indeed, enuresis has many unpleasant effects on both the child and the parents. But these effects can be minimized if parents do away with all the misconceptions and learn the truth about their children’s condition.  The following are the myths and facts about enuresis that every parent should know:

Myth 1: Bedwetters are too lazy to control their urination
This assumption is not only inaccurate, but also destructive because it only makes the child feel bad about himself. The truth is, bedwetters have no control over their condition.

Myth 2: Children who wet their bed have emotional or mental problems
This misconception may have stemmed from the fact that autistic children usually wet their bed. That is not the case in most bedwetters. Although enuresis results in psychological problems such as low self-esteem, these problems do not cause children to wet their bed. But stress and other emotional issues such as divorce of parents or death of a loved one can trigger enuresis in children who previously have had dry nights.

Myth 3: Wearing diapers at night will slow down the process of getting rid of the habit
Experts say that using diapers does not prevent a child from outgrowing enuresis on his own. In fact, diapers offer some benefits. For the bedwetters, diapers prevent them from getting wet and cold when they wake up. For parents, diapers spare them the burden of changing the bed covers or washing the mattresses frequently.

Myth 4: Fluid intake before bedtime causes enuresis
Yes, restricting the amount of fluid intake before your child goes to sleep can lessen the volume of urine released during nighttime. However, drinking liquids before bedtime does not cause the child to wet his bed.

Fact 1: Enuresis is hereditary.
If there is a history of enuresis in your family, your child is likely to become a bed wetter. Three out of four children who suffer from the condition have a family history of enuresis.

Fact 2: Some bedwetters have a functionally small (not anatomically small) bladder
This means these children quickly feel a full bladder, so the urge to urinate is frequent.

Fact 3: Bedwetters find it hard to rouse from sleep, which keeps them from responding to their body’s signal to urinate

Fact 4: Hormonal imbalance causes enuresis
Some children lack the amount of anti-diuretic hormone that signals the kidneys to produce less urine while they sleep. The result? More urine at nighttime.

Fact 5: Enuresis may be a symptom of underlying medical conditions
If your child suffers from bed wetting, it is likely that he may have one or two of the following diseases: diabetes, urinary tract infection, sleep apnea, spinal cord problems, and constipation.

Bedwetting could be a symptom of underlying medical conditions

It is recommended that you visit a doctor to have your child checked and to get advice on the possible treatment methods to stop enuresis.