Bed-wetting & Emotional Meltdowns in Children

Bed-wetting is a common problem affecting millions of children. Bed-wetting is more of a physical problem than it is an emotional one. The condition often resolves itself over time; however, in some cases, an underlying health condition may be causing the bed-wetting.

Significance

• According to AskDrSears.com, approximately 15 percent of all children that are age 5 still wet the bed at night. Bed-wetting also affects approximately 2 to 5 percent of all teenagers. Boys are more likely to wet the bed than girls. Children whose parents wet the bed are more likely to wet the bed.

Misconceptions

• Bed-wetting is not an emotional problem. Rather it occurs when children sleep too deeply to recognize the need to get up and go to the bathroom during the night. Also, bed-wetting may occur when child has an anti-diuretic hormone deficiency. Normally, this hormone is released at night to slow the production of urine.

Identification

• Chronic bed-wetting should be discussed with a pediatrician who can look for any underlying medical conditions. Symptoms of underlying problems may include daytime wetting accidents, constipation, snoring and reoccurring urinary tract infections.

Emotional Upset and Bed-wetting

• Children may occasionally wet the bed when they are stressed emotionally. Emotional stress may stem from situations such as divorce, death of a loved one or moving to a new school. These children may experience emotional meltdowns. This type of bed-wetting is brief and resolves itself once the child is no longer emotionally distraught.

Treatments

• Using nighttime diapers or pull-ups will help until the child is able to control bed-wetting. A physician can recommend bladder-training techniques and exercises. Fluids should never be withheld from children because of bed-wetting; withholding fluids can result in dehydration and constipation.