Bedwetting can often seem like a very big deal, both for your child and for yourselves as parents. Getting the facts on bedwetting can be a big help and can give you the peace of mind that bedwetting is a stage, something they’ll most likely grow out of. Understanding why your child is wetting the bed can go a long way to putting a little perspective on things. There is plenty of misinformation out there, so arm yourself with the best bedwetting facts from DryNites and share them with your child. Knowledge gives you the power to work together as a team through this phase with your child.
Bedwetting facts
Wetting the bed is a common and almost always temporary problem. When you are going through this phase with a child, it’s important to know the facts.
Let’s take a look at the numbers:
- 16.6% of 5 year olds wet the bed at one time or another
- 97% of kids who wet the bed are having completely dry by the age of 12
- 98% of children are dry by 15 years of age
Here are some facts you might not know:
- The medical term for bed wetting is nocturnal enuresis
- Bed wetting is more common in boys than girls
- Most children grow out of wetting the bed all by themselves
Our genetics are sometimes a factor, for example:
- Childhood bed wetting is more common in certain families – three out of four children who wet the bed have family members who have been through exactly the same thing.
- Bed wetting can be inherited. If one parent suffered nocturnal enuresis as a child there is approximately a 43% chance of their child wetting the bed. In a case where both parents have experienced this condition, that percentage increases to 77%.
- A small number of children have undersized bladders which are more easily overfilled and so result in wetting the bed.
Here are some things to keep in mind when you are trying to minimise bed wetting:
- Some studies suggest that food sensitivities are a contributing cause to bed wetting. Such foods include:
- Carbonated fizzy drinks
- Caffeinated drinks
- Citrus Juices
- Artificially coloured lollies
Knowing all the facts is one more tool in your belt when it comes to managing bed wetting.
Don’t forget to educate your child, too. Let them know that they are not alone and that wetting the bed is usually a phase. If they are old enough, explain why it is happening and how you are going to work through it together.
Support and reassurance will go a long way to helping with bed wetting, and may reduce its severity and duration.
