When your child is young and learning how to properly control their bladder, it’s possible that they may wet their bed along the way. As your child ages, they should learn how to control their bladder and avoid bedwetting, which is also known as enuresis.

Enuresis can be accidental or intentional and can be diagnosed in girls older than 5 and boys older than 6. It’s important that you’re able to get your child’s bedwetting under control and that you understand what could cause these issues and how they can be managed.

What to Know About Enuresis

There are different types of bedwetting that may occur, and you should be able to identify which issues your child is dealing with by talking to your pediatric urologist about their symptoms and when bedwetting occurs. Some of the types of bedwetting include:

  • Diurnal enuresis  Wetting the bed during the day
  • Nocturnal enuresis  Wetting the bed at night
  • Primary enuresis  Wetting the bed because the child hasn’t fully mastered potty training
  • Secondary enuresis  Wetting the bed after periods of dryness

Enuresis can occur because of issues like sleep disorders, small bladders, poor toilet training or a family history of bedwetting. Your pediatric urologist will do a full physical examination and look at your child’s medical history to determine if there are any specific causes of their bedwetting besides incontinence.

It’s important that throughout this process, you remind your child that it isn’t their fault, and that positive reinforcement is used to encourage your child to properly use the bathroom before bed and throughout the day. They may also need medication to control their bladder and stop bedwetting from happening.

Don’t let your child’s bedwetting go without notice. Find out if there are other issues that could be causing your child to wet the bed and experience enuresis while sleeping. Call Pediatrix® Urology of Central Texas today for more information and to schedule an appointment at 512-472-6134.