Children’s overnight urine output can be quite variable – parents of children who seem to pass a lot of urine overnight sometimes find it easier to change their child’s DryNites just before they retire for the evening. Bedwetting has a number of underlying causes. A small number of children wet the bed do so because they do not produce enough of the anti-diuretic hormone ADH. If nighttime ADH levels are low, your son will produce the same amount of urine at night as he produces throughout the day placing significant pressure on his bladder and resulting in him wetting the bed. If this is the cause, children will continue to wet the bed at night until their body begins to produce more of this hormone. A very small percentage of children who wet the bed (less than 10%) do so because of a smaller than normal bladder. These children typically need to use the toilet more regularly throughout the day as well as night. This form of incontinence often rectifies itself once the bladder grows. You can try and reduce his urine output by limiting the amount of dairy or citrus-based drinks he has in the evenings as these are known to stimulate the kidneys. You can encourage healthy bladder habits by ensuring he drinks regularly throughout the day – about every two hours. While it is fine to taper off toward bedtime, do not restrict fluids completely as this can lead to constipation. Whilst bedwetting is considered to be normal up to the age of 6 or 7 years of age it is always a good idea to have your son checked by his GP just to rule out any underlying medical cause.

Regards, Dr Cathrine

Ask Dr Cathrine a question