Bed-wetting is the unintentional urination while sleeping at night, at the age when settling dry at night is rationally anticipated. Bed-wetting is sometimes called nocturnal enuresis or nighttime incontinence.
Bed-wetting is not a matter to get anguish; it is a common and ordinary section of a child’s growth.
The wet bed of a child until 7 years of age isn’t a worry. At this age, your child might still be nurturing the nighttime bladder control. If the bed-wetting persists even after the age of 7 years or more, deal the situation with calmness and understanding.
Change in lifestyle, wetness alarms, training to the bladder, and sometimes medications lend a hand in reducing the symptoms of bed-wetting.
Symptoms of Bed-wetting
At the age of 5, most of the children are fully trained to stay dry at night and have nighttime bladder control. While children between 5-7 years of age can still wet their beds at night, as they may still be developing their command over their bladder for nighttime. Some children experience bed-wetting even after the age of 7 and more.
When to seek a doctor
Take an opinion of your doctor if-
- The bed-wetting of your child carries on after 7 years of age
- If the bed-wetting resumes following some months of being moisture-free at night
- If painful urination, tough stools, strange thirsts, snoring or red or pink urine also occur with the bed-wetting
Causes of bed-wetting
No exact cause for Wetting Bed. However, some of the studies say the following reasons can lead to bed-wetting-
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Small bladder
Your child’s bladder cannot hold up the urine generated at night.
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Lack of ability to identify a full bladder
Your child may not recognize that his bladder is full.
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Hormone imbalance
Some kids fail to produce enough anti-diuretic hormones (ADH) that slows down the production of urine at night.
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Infection in the urinary tract
This infection makes the kid unable to have control over urination.
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Sleep apnea
The disorder of sleep apnea disturbs the breathing at night. This can be a cause of bed-wetting in kids. This can also be happend in daytime sleepiness and snoring.
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Diabetes
Bed-wetting can be a symptom of diabetes if your child suddenly starts wetting his/her bed.
The other symptoms can be passing of large quantity of urine at one time, fatigue, accelerated thirst, and weight loss.
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Chronic constipation
The control of urine and stool eradication is under the hands of the same muscles. When constipation remains for a long period, these become sick and remain unable to control the discharge of urine at night.
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An anatomic defect in nervous and urinary tract system
Bed-wetting can seldom be due to defects in the nervous or urinary system.
What are the risk factors?
Bed-wetting is more common in boys than that of girls. Following triggers can be responsible for bed-wetting-
- Worrying events like commencing to go to school, becoming an elder brother or sister, or sleeping away from the house can prompt bed-wetting.
- A family history of bed-wetting can trigger the same disorder in the child.
- The hormonal imbalance of the Anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) results in bed-wetting. This hormone is responsible for slowing down the production of urine at night.
What are the complications?
No serious health problem can occur if your kid does not have any physical issue with that of bed-wetting. However, bed-wetting can lead to-
- Deprived self-esteem
- Loss of social opportunities like camping and sleepovers
- Rashes on your child’s genital or at the underneath, particularly when he/she sleeps in a wet undergarment.
Bed-Wetting Diagnosis
Treatment of bed-wetting needs diagnosis, according to the conditions of the kid. Some of the tests conducted for diagnosing bed-wetting are as follows-
- A physical examination
- Talks on signs and symptoms
- Urine test is conduct, to detect the presence of infection or diabetes
- Imaging test using x-ray, to look at the composition of the urinary region
Other assessments can also be use if required.
Treatment of Bed-Wetting
The performed diagnosis helps in the treatment of bed-wetting. The cause detected in the tests decides the treatment to be given to the child. Generally, the parents and the doctor consult about the options of treatment of bed-wetting, which would work for the kid in the most appropriate manner.
If your child is not disturbed by infrequent bed-wetting, changes in lifestyle like avoiding caffeine completely and staying away from taking fluids or drinks in the evening or at the time of going to bed can effectively work well for the treatment of Bed-Wetting.
If bed-wetting is a cause of causal diseases like sleep apnea or constipation, it should be consulted with the doctor before the treatment.
Other treatments of Wetting-Bed include moisture alarms and meditations.
Moisture alarms
Moisture alarms are tiny device, which runs on battery. In most of the pharmacies, it is accessible without a prescription. Moisture alarm is attached to wetness-sensitive padding on the bed or child’s pyjamas. When the padding minds moisture, the alarm rings.
Preferably, the wetness alarm rings to wake-up your child to go toilet and urinate. If your child is a deep sleeper, some other family member may make him/her wake-up as soon as the moisture alarm sounds.
Moisture alarm takes time to work at its best. It acquires 16 weeks to attain dry nights. Moisture alarms are efficient for the treatment of Wetting Bed, as it bears a little possibility of side effects and offers a better and long-term way out than medication does.
Medications
Medication for the treatment of Wetting Bed is the last option a doctor and the parents choose for the kid. Medications can put a stop on Wetting Bed for a short period. Certain medications used for the purpose are-
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Reduced production of urine at night time
Desmopressin is a drug also used to slow the production of urine at the nighttime. However, if the kid takes so much water with the medication it can cause a problem. Desmopressin should also not be given if your kid has symptoms of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Desmopressin is an oral medication and given as a tablet to the kids under the age of 5.
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Calm the bladder
For the treatment of bed-wetting, Anticholinergic drugs are used to calm the bladder. If your child has a small bladder, and fails to hold up urine at night, it accelerates the capacity of the bladder. Anticholinergic drugs are generally recommended when other medications fail to stop bed-wetting. These are generally taken with other medications.
The effects of medications on kids differ from child to child. Wetting Bed does not have an exact or known treatment. Wetting Bed generally begins again when the medication is dropped or stopped.
Changes in lifestyle can help you out in the treatment of bed-wetting
Home remedies and lifestyle changes can help your child in the treatment of Wetting Bed. Following are some tips, which can eradicate the problem of bed-wetting in your kid-
- Take fewer fluids in the evening or also at the time of going to bed.
- Stay away from food and beverages which contain caffeine.
- Ask your kid that it is not always necessary to urinate just before sleeping. It is ok to use the toilet if needed in the night as well.Also put night-lights on the way from your child’s bedroom to the washroom so he/she feels trouble-free to go toilet in the night.
- Ask your child also that he can use the toilet all through the day. For avoiding the urgency, he/she should go to the toilet every 2 hours.
- To prevent rashes, ask, and help your child to wash his or her genitals or bottom every morning. Consult your child’s doctor to recommend products such as cream or ointment to apply on the parts affected by bed-wetting
For online doctor consultation for Bed-Wetting, visit Daily Chemist web page and get medical guidance from experts.
