Parenting Advice From Your Physicians at Kaiser Permanente

Your little one is toilet trained and regularly using the toilet during the day – but not at night? Don’t worry – they soon will be! Staying dry during the day can happen months or even years before staying dry all night. Usually, all that’s needed to get there is time, patience, and a sense of humor and bedwetting in kids will go away.

Let’s look at the facts about bedwetting and some tips to help your child.

1. Kids outgrow it. 20% of 5-year-olds, 10% of 7-year-olds, and 5% of 10-year-olds may still wet the bed at night. If your child still wets the bed, they may feel embarrassed, but they’re not alone! That can be reassuring for kids to know. When I see a child in my office for concerns about bedwetting, I start by asking how many kids are in their class at school. And then I do some fast math and tell them there are at least a few other kids in their class who have the same problem.
2. It tends to run in families. And it’s more common in boys. One of my children took a long time to stay dry at night – but I’m not saying who. One of their parents did too – and I’m definitely not saying who that was!
3. It’s more common in kids who sleep heavily. These kids’ brains just don’t respond to signals that the bladder is full. The problem can be worse when a kid is over-tired, stressed, or ill. I explain to my patients that when their bladder is full and stretched, it sends a message to the brain that then tells their feet to get up and walk to the toilet. This kind of bladder-to-brain-to-feet communication can take time to develop.
4. Reassurance helps. Let your child know they’re not the only one their age who wets the bed, and they’ll outgrow this. When they do have an accident don’t scold them – and don’t let anyone tease them!
5. Treating constipation can help. Having a rectum full of stool will put pressure on the bladder at night and make it more likely a child will have an accident. If constipation is an issue, then fixing constipation may help decrease bedwetting.
6. A few simple steps can help decrease accidents. Make sure your child drinks very little after dinner. Also, we know that sugary drinks and caffeine during the day can make bedwetting worse, so avoid or limit those. And if you go to bed after your child, wake them up when you go to bed and have them pee one more time.
7. Bedwetting alarms work. They’re especially helpful for kids who are heavy sleepers. If you’ve tried all of the ideas above, look into these alarms. They work by sensing wetness and sounding an alarm to wake the child up. This helps train their brain to wake up before urinating.
8. Medicines can be helpful. Some medicines can help a child stay dry all night. But they can have some concerning side effects, so they’re usually reserved for special occasions like sleepovers. Talk with your pediatrician about this option.

Very rarely, bedwetting can be a sign of another problem. Talk with your pediatrician if your child:

• Isn’t dry at night after age 7.
• Begins wetting the bed again after having been dry at night for 6 months.
• Has nighttime accidents that involve both urine and stool.
• Has trouble with walking and running in a coordinated way.
• Has burning with urination or an increase in urinary frequency.

Remember, the most important thing to know about bedwetting is that kids outgrow it. Patience and a sense of humor will get you and your child through!