Health

Why Do Children & Teens Wet the Bed During Sleep?

why childern wet the bed

Why Do Children & Teens Wet the Bed During Sleep?

8 Main Reasons Why Do Children & Teens Wet the Bed during Sleep | bed-wetting

Bedwetting is very common in babies but it is serious when a child is above 5 years and wet the bed at night. Sometimes, a child wet the bed till 7 to 10 years of age. According to a general survey, 20% of children have some problems with bedwetting at age of 5, and up to 10% still do at the age of 7 years. It has been also observed that few children wet the bed till their early teenage.

Older children and early teenagers wet the bed for numerous reasons:  Below are a few of the most common reasons that cause bed wetting. 

8 Main Reasons for bed-wetting

Among the below reasons, no one knows for sure what causes bed-wetting for their child but any of the factors can play a role.

1. Genetics

One of the main reasons for bedwetting is a genetic connection. If a child’s parent wet the bed in their childhood, the child may have the same problem. According to a general survey, 40% of children wet the bed only because their parents wet the bed during their childhood.

2. A small bladder

Some of the times, a child’s bladder may not be developed enough to hold urine produced for a long duration. In the daytime, they urinate hourly but at night their bladder cannot hold urine and the child wet the bed unconsciously.

3. Inability to recognize a full bladder. 

Sometimes it also happens because of a weak nervous system.  If the nerves that control the bladder fail to recognize whether the bladder is full or not and nerves may not wake the child because of a full bladder. It happens especially when a child is a deep sleeper.

4. Bladder or kidney disease.

If a child has both daytime and nighttime bladder control problems and other bladder symptoms such as pain when peeing or any kidney disease (The kidneys make more urine at night) can cause bed wetting.

5. Deep sleep

Children who are deep sleepers and disturbed by any reason like snoring, television, or traffic noise, such children are more likely to wet the bed. 

6. Stress

Stress is one of the main reasons for multiple issues and bedwetting is one of those. Children have stress for multiple reasons that include:  when moving to a hostel or school for the first time, losing their pet, seeing their parents’ separation, losing a person they love, or going through another event that is undesired for them. Treating stress can reduce the frequency of bedwetting in children.

7. Medical

There are multiple medical reasons that can cause bed wetting in children and young teenagers. That reasons include: urinary tract infection (UTI), constipation, small bladder, making too much urine, or Type 1 Diabetes.

8. Neurologic disease

Sometimes, there can be a problem with the brain or nerves (spinal cord problem) that can cause bedwetting. However, this is a very rare cause of bedwetting. Sometimes, the brain can’t wake the body up during sleep and a child wet the bed in sleep.

Tips for Parents Whose Children Wet the Bed During Sleep:

There are multiple factors that play a role to reduce bedwetting in children. below are a few tips for the parents. 

  • You can use medicines to get rid of bedwetting. There are two suggested medicines for bedwetting: imipramine and desmopressin. One thing to keep in mind that that bedwetting usually returns once medicines are stopped unless the child has “grown out of” nocturnal enuresis.
  • Encourage your child to go to the bathroom every two to three hours during the day and especially just before going to bed.
  • Do not give your children food or drinks with caffeine. Moreover, avoid sugary drinks and salty snacks, especially in the evening and at night.
  • If you feel your child will wet the bed, wake him/her once during the night to urinate. Do not wake him/her more than once a night because it may disrupt his/her sleep, which could lead to problems at school the next morning.

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