Parents are often unaware how common it is for children to wet the bed way after the age of six or seven because it is one of those problems that children swear their parents to secrecy about. I firmly believe that parents should keep their children’s secret because of the possible bullying involved when peers find out!
But it’s time that more people know the facts so I’ve decided to write a series of blogs on bedwetting because it is a very distressing problem that is often very misunderstood.
Ten Bedwetting facts that most parents are unaware of
- Nearly 10% of children over 9 years and up to 2% of over-16s are still wetting the bed on a semi regular basis
- The problem is more common with boys than with girls
- There is a hereditary element. If the father had the problem, the child is 44% likely to have it too. If both parents had the problem this increases the risk to 77%
- Most children who wet the bed are very deep sleepers
- Probably the most common cause is the body is slow in developing the hormone that reduces the amount of urine produced overnight (anti-diuretic hormone)
- Most children do NOT have particularly small bladders
- But many have a small functional bladder capacity … in other words the bladder is normal size but it thinks it’s full and needs to empty even though really there is plenty more capacity!
- Primary Enuresis means the child has always been wet at night whereas Secondary Enuresis means that it has come on (often suddenly) after several months of being dry
- Sudden secondary onset could possibly mean a urinary infection or even Type 1 Diabetes (see the symptoms below) See your doctor!
- Sudden secondary onset could also possibly indicate some emotional upset such as a new baby, problems at school, upset in a friendship, bullying, family difficulties, death of a family member or friend or even a pet, a house or school move for example
Remember that it is not their fault and they should never be punished!
A few major signs of Diabetes in children are: Increased thirst ~ (Sometimes) increased hunger ~ Markedly Increased frequency of urinating ~ Increased amount of urine ~ Strongly smelling breath; sometimes people describe it as smelling like pear drops or nail varnish remover (acetone) ~ extreme tiredness or weakness ~ sometimes abdominal pain or nausea / vomiting ~ blurry vision
Check out my forthcoming blogs to see how Hypnotherapy can help with Bedwetting
