What Are the Psychological Causes of Bedwetting?

To both the parent and child, bedwetting can be a very serious concern. In addition to possessing immature bladder muscles, a child may wet the bed due to a psychological issue. If you are able to determine the cause of the bedwetting, you can look for ways to resolve the issue and make your child avoid the upset of waking up wet each night.

History

• Bedwetting can be a common occurrence and will most likely occur when the child is under the age of six. The medical name for bedwetting is enuresis, and although it is common in younger children, the condition can affect older children as well. Although bedwetting can be perfectly normal in younger children that lack bladder control, it is often a concern in children who have been consistently dry for several months and then start to wet the bed as a stress response.

Significance

• Consider any type of outside stress factors that may be causing the child to wet his bed. A divorce, move, death in the family or family member's illness can all cause a child to revert to bedwetting. A new sibling can also place stress on the child and lead to bedwetting.

Effects

• The emotional neglect of a child can also lead to bedwetting. If the child is ignored or comes from a disrupted home, he will likely lack emotional stability. Children with a history of abuse or neglect who are adopted or placed in foster care may also start to wet the bed as a response to this stress.

Prevention/Solution

• Once you determine the psychological cause of bedwetting, you can decide how you wish to resolve the issue. Speak to your doctor and determine whether a child psychologist can be helpful for your situation. This may be the case if the bedwetting is a result of stress from a major life change, like divorce, illness or a death in the family.

Warning

• Don't automatically assume that the bedwetting is psychologically related. Speak with your doctor to rule out any potential medical reasons for the bedwetting, such as a urinary tract infection.