Overview of Bedwetting

Bedwetting, otherwise called nocturnal enuresis, refers to a condition where people pass off urine during their sleep. The medical term used for wetting is enuresis, in their clothes either during the day or in the bed at night times. It is also referred to as incontinence.

Urination is involuntary in infants and very young children, implying that they do not have any control on it. Hence, wetting occurs normally in such stages. Generally, children attain a control over their bladder when they are 4 years old. Daytime control occurs initially while nighttime control is a little difficult one and therefore achieved later.

Attaining the bladder control varies according to some factors like

• Expectation of the parents – some expect soon whereas others expect it later.
• There are some factors which can control the option
  • The child’s sex – either male or female
  • The child’s growth and maturity
  • The child’s overall health – physical as well as emotional
  • The environment in which the child grows – culture, attitudes, etc

In general, only very young children are expected to wet their beds. Hence, bedwetting usually is reserved only for children and sometimes adults who, even after a certain age, are unable to get control over their bladder especially during the nighttimes.

Some of the general facts are

• Around 15-20% of the children wet their beds still when they are 5 years old.
• Dryness is expected only in 7-year-old children.
• Most of the children learn to stop bedwetting themselves in the normal manner.
• Those who wet the bed require some support and reassurance from their parents.
• Even such children, in due course, learn to stay dry. They stop it at 15% annually.

Bedwetting has been a common problem in many countries.

• It is necessary for the parents to understand that bedwetting is involuntary.
• In US, nearly 5-7 million children wet their beds.
• Bedwetting occurs irrespective of sex, though some studies show higher prevalence in boys.
• When coming to age groups,
  • In 3 year olds, 40% wet and
  • In 5 year olds, 15-20% wet.
  • The problem, if left untreated, can prolong to adult stage but mostly it falters at the school age. Nearly 1% of adults still have the problem though.
  • Though children alone are referred here, it applies similarly to adults who have the problem.

Bedwetting is generally treatable. This condition can be prevented easily without medications and drugs. This is an embarrassing problem to many children and if it is an adult, it is even more embarrassing. Once there were very few choices to treat this condition except waiting for the children themselves to get their controls. However, currently, many available treatments are also very effective in most of the children. In fact, various devices or bedwetting treatments or techniques have come up to enable such children stop bedwetting and learn to stay dry in their beds.