Bedwetting in children is a condition where the child urinates while sleeping. It is also called Primary Nocturnal Enuresis. Primary Nocturnal Enuresis is when a child wets his bed every night or is occasionally dry. Secondary Nocturnal Enuresis is a condition when bedwetting occurs after a child has been dry for a significant period. It seems to be normal when the child is very young but as the child grows the bedwetting incident can be embarrassing for the child as well as the parents. It also has traumatic effects on the child. Parents often scold the child for wetting the bed or look out for other modes of punishment to deal with the problem but it is equally stressed for the child as continued bed-wetting can be very difficult for the child to deal with. Instead of scolding your child, get to the root of the problem and help your child overcome it.

Bedwetting is acceptable and normal in girls up to the age of four and in boys up to the age of five. It invariably declines with age. Only in very rare cases does bedwetting continue into adulthood. Chronic bedwetting is a condition resulting from a physically or neurologically immature bladder, and a deep sleep pattern. These children sleep so deeply that they are not conscious of the message the bladder sends to the brain when it is full. Children with learning disabilities, allergies or attention deficit disorders are more likely to do a bed wet.

DEALING WITH IT
Most children are embarrassed by their bedwetting habit and the fear of being exposed as bed wetter’s really bash their self esteem. They withdraw from social activities that may include spending a night at a relative’s or a friend’s house. They fear all the times that they will wet the bed and try to escape the embarrassment. Bedwetting children are made to be understood that they are not wetting the bed on purpose. They need to be encouraged to visit a specialist and talk about such episodes without feeling embarrassed. The doctor may teach the child some bladder exercises that will strengthen the bladder. Parents can make the children realize that bedwetting is not willful, and is therefore beyond their control. It can sometimes be an inherited trait. Often, some family member may have dealt with the same problem during his or her childhood.

Limit the child’s fluid intake before bedtime especially drinks that contain caffeine. Wake your child up two to three times in the night to use the toilet. Certain medicines also help control bedwetting in more persistent cases. There are certain drugs which come as the last option as they have a lot of side effects associated with them. While a variety of methods exist to deal with the problem, parents need to remember that their child’s bedwetting is more than just an annoyance to them - it can have very serious effects on a child’s self-esteem. The issue requires empathy and compassion from the parent’s side. Bedwetting is curable but all it needs is a little practice and patience to retrain the child’s brain.