Health Information
Bed-Wetting
What Happens
Reference Bed-wetting Opens New Window is common in young children. Children grow and develop at different rates, and bladder control is achieved at an individual pace. Usually, daytime bladder control occurs before nighttime control.
Children may wet the bed several times during the night, and they may not wake up after wetting.
Reference Primary nocturnal enuresis Opens New Window—bed-wetting that continues past the age that most children have nighttime bladder control—will usually stop over time without treatment. If a Reference medical condition is causing the bed-wetting, treating the condition may stop the wetting.
Treatment often does not completely stop bed-wetting, but it may reduce how often it occurs. Although bed-wetting may return when treatment is stopped, repeating or combining treatments may have longer-lasting results.
Sometimes bed-wetting is related to emotional Reference stress Opens New Window. Bed-wetting usually stops when the stress is relieved or managed.
The emotional responses to bed-wetting can impact the relationship with your child. If you or your child is having difficulty with handling bed-wetting, you may wish to find out about treatment options.
Some children who wet the bed also experience Reference accidental daytime wetting. When wetting occurs during both the day and night, usually the things related to the daytime wetting are explored first.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference October 24, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics
Reference Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MD, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics |
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