Urination, bed wetting

Considerations:
Most children who wet the bed have at least one parent who also had a problem with bed wetting . Knowing this often helps the child feel less stress about the situation.

Twenty percent of children wet their beds at age 5, only 5% do so at age 10, and 2% at age 15. Only 1 out of 100 childhood bed wetters continues to have a problem in adulthood.

Common Causes:
While bed wetting is usually due to a delay in development, it may also be due to either psychological problems or physical disorders such as a urinary tract infection or irritation, urinary tract abnormalities, or diabetes .

Home Care:
Don't worry about bed wetting in children before the age of six.

Don't punish a child who wets. Normal bed wetting is not due to laziness or noncompliance. It can lead to poor self-esteem and feelings of low self-worth. Reassure, encourage, and express confidence in the child.

Withholding bedtime drinks is usually not helpful. However, avoiding caffeine-containing drinks may help decrease the amount of urine in the bladder ( caffeine increases urine production).

See the health care provider about the use of alarm systems (such as Wet-stop or Enuretone), or drugs like Tofranil (imipramine) or DDAVP nasal spray.

Call Your Healthcare Provider If:
  • there have been repeated episodes of bed wetting after the age of 6.



What to Expect:
A medical history will be obtained from the patient and the patient's parents (if the patient is a child).

Medical history questions documenting the bed wetting in detail may include:

  • time pattern
    • When did bed wetting begin?
    • How often does bed wetting occur?
    • Have there ever been "dry" periods before?

  • quality
    • How often is daytime urination?
    • Is control of urine while awake a problem?
    • Does bed wetting cause awakening?
    • How is the bed wetting treated within the family?
    • Is the bed wetting punished?
    • Are other family members aware of the problem?
    • Does the bed wetting cause shame?

  • aggravating factors

  • relieving factors
    • Is there anything that reduces the problem?

  • other
    • What other symptoms are also present?

    • What medications are being taken?
    • Have other family members had this problem?
    • Is there a family history of diabetes ?
    • Is bowel control a problem?
    • Is sensation of the need to urinate present?
    • What methods of prevention have been tried?
      • rewards
      • diapers
      • alarm systems
      • periodic waking
      • restricting fluids

A complete examination will be performed, with emphasis on the abdomen, rectum, and the urinary opening. The health care provider will discuss the options available for treatment.

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

After seeing your health care provider:
If a diagnosis was made by your health care provider related to bed wetting, you may want to note that diagnosis in your personal medical record.


This is an illustration of the female urinary tract. The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra. The positioning in the body and relative size of the organs are also demonstrated.



This is an illustration of the male urinary tract. The female and male urinary tract are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra. The positioning and relative size of the organs are also shown.