There is a lot of misinformation about bedwetting. There is also a lot we don’t know about bedwetting either! This makes understanding and treating bedwetting confusing and often frustrating. Let’s try to clear this up.
- Punishing your child will not help with bedwetting. They are not doing it on purpose and cannot control it. Making them feel bad about bedwetting will damage their self-esteem and will make them feel like they disappointed you.
- Bedwetting does not occur because they are being lazy. Bedwetting occurs when they sleep, and your child does not know that it is happening. In fact, their sleeping pattern is likely different from the average kid and it can be difficult to get your child out of deep sleep. Additionally, the signal between the brain and bladder is likely weak and leads to the accident.
- There aren’t any medications that will cure bedwetting. Bedwetting is a complex problem that a single pill will not fix. Desmopressin is often prescribed, but I only recommend this for special occasions like sleepovers. It is just a band-aid and will not cure bedwetting.
- Bedwetting is not caused by the same problem in all kids. There are many different factors involved in bedwetting, but not all children have all of them. That’s why it is important to understand what causes bedwetting, and which of them your child has. Consulting with a medical professional can help clear this up.
- If you wait it out, the bedwetting will resolve. This is actually true, but if you address the multiple factors involved in bedwetting, it can resolve faster
- Drinking a lot of water before bed does not cause bedwetting. It can be one of the factors that can contribute, but it’s not the only cause. Restricting large amounts of fluid 1-2 hours before bedtime can help, but I have yet to come across a child where this has been the only problem. In fact, you should be working on drinking water throughout the day and not just when you’re thirsty. If they are drinking a lot at night, it’s probably because they haven’t hydrated well during the day.
- Bedwetting does not occur because they are potty trained poorly. Daytime dryness works differently than nighttime dryness. Parents and kids should not see bedwetting as a failure. If your child also has daytime accidents, this can point to a problem with not emptying the bladder frequently enough in the daytime. It can also be secondary to constipation. Working with your pediatrician can help determine other medical causes.