About this topic
Bedwetting is also known as enuresis. Your child may pee without meaning to. This happens especially during sleep at night. Most children can control their bladder by the time they are 4 years old. This condition can be stressful. Your child may feel ashamed or embarrassed. ‚
Bedwetting can be treated with drugs and behavior therapy. ‚
What care is needed at home?
Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do to care for your child. ‚
- Reassure and encourage your child.
- Remember, most children cannot help their bedwetting. Do not punish or blame your child because of bedwetting.
- Talk to your child and explain carefully that bedwetting will not last forever.
- Remind your child to go to the bathroom at scheduled times.
- Encourage your child get up to pee during the night when feeling the need to go.
- Praise your child and give a small reward for dry nights. Use a sticker chart for a younger child.
- Make it easier for your child to get to the bathroom at night.
- Train your child to use the bathroom before bedtime and right before going to sleep.
- Make sure your child has safe and easy access to the bathroom. Use night lights and clear the paths going to the bathroom.
- You can put a portable toilet near your childs bed.
- Help your child learn to stay dry at night.
- Limit your child's fluid intake before bedtime.
- Avoid giving your child certain foods that bother the bladder such as chocolate.
- Use a bedwetting alarm system that rings when the bed gets wet.
- Have your child help change the bed sheets and clothes when they are wet. Put a plastic mattress cover on your child's bed.
- Let your child practice holding urine for longer periods during the day. This will stretch the bladder so it can hold more urine.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- The doctor may send your child to a psychologist or psychiatrist. They may offer ideas on how to help your child and family cope with this issue or find out what may be causing your child's bedwetting.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help the bladder hold more urine
- Help the kidneys make less urine
Will physical activity be limited?
Physical activities may not be limited. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Rashes
- Psychological problem like low self-esteem, not being able to focus, and having trouble concentrating
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, pain with passing urine.
- Not sleeping well or sleeping more than usual
- Your child looks very sad or is easily irritated
- Hard stools
- Blood in the urine
- Bedwetting stops for 6 months and then starts again
- You have questions or concerns about your childs condition.
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you about your child. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my childs condition.
- I can tell you ways to help reassure and encourage my child and to help make it easier for my child to stay dry at night.
- I can tell you what I will do if my child has a fever, chills, pain with passing urine, or blood in the urine.
Where can I learn more?
American Urological Foundation ‚
http://www.urologyhealth.org/urology/index.cfm?article=125 ‚
FamilyDoctor.org ‚
http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/kids/toileting/enuresis-bed-wetting.html ‚
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_coditions/urinary/enuresis.html# ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚