Why Do Boys Wet the Bed?

Bed-wetting, technically known as enuresis, is a fairly common condition during a boy's development. Most boys will outgrow bed-wetting by the time they reach 6 years of age. There are a number of cases, however, where a boy's bed-wetting lasts beyond his sixth year and is a result of something other than his normal development.

Misconceptions and Warning

• Boys don't wet the bed because they are too lazy to get up, nor is the condition a behavioral problem, Family Doctor says. Parents need to realize this and refrain from scolding their sons if they wet the bed. Similarly, praising him for a night without bed-wetting is not the answer, as the boy has no control over the situation.

  Boys who wet the bed are often embarrassed and ashamed. They sometimes try to hide the problem rather than admit it. Mayo Clinic warns not to punish or belittle your son when he wets the bed, but instead praise him for following any bedtime routine you set up and even for helping to clean the mess.

Psychological Causes

• The cause behind bed-wetting could be psychological, according to Wrong Diagnosis. Extreme stress can set off bed-wetting, as can extreme grief, a change in the home life such as a breakup of the family, child sex abuse and emotional problems. Night terrors, which put kids in a state where they cannot immediately wake up, are another potential cause. Toilet training done too early or too strictly can also give rise to a boy's bed-wetting, as can home conditions that are too crowded or do not give him any privacy.

Physical Causes

• A number of physical conditions could be to blame for a boy's bed-wetting, both Wrong Diagnosis and Family Doctor note. These include urinary infections, abnormalities in the boy's urethral valve or spinal cord, or a tiny bladder. If your son's central nervous system is slow to develop, he could be unable to control his bladder while sleeping. He could also lack a sufficient amount of antidiuretic hormone, which slows down the production of urine during the night. Bed-wetting frequently runs in families, and so it could be caused by genetic factors.

Solutions

• Mayo Clinic suggests a number of different solutions for a boy's bed-wetting. Medication is one. Desmopressin acetate increases the antidiuretic hormone that decreases urine production at night. Anticholinergic medicines like oxybutynin and hyoscyamine can help the bladder hold more liquid and reduce its contractions. Imipramine, an antidepressant, can help change your son's sleeping patterns. Alternative medicine offers other methods to try, such as hypnosis, acupuncture and chiropractic therapy.

Considerations

• Even if your son's bed-wetting continues, you can take steps to make the condition less of a hassle. Plastic bed liners help keep urine out of the mattress pad and make for easier cleanup. Making sure your son goes to the bathroom, at least once and maybe twice, before bed also helps, as does avoiding lots of liquids and caffeine before his bedtime. A moisture alarm, which sounds when moisture hits a pad attached to the boy's pajamas or sheets, can also help wake him up when he begins to urinate.