If your child wets the bed, he or she is not alone.
In fact, did you know that there are about 5 million children over the age of six in the United States who wet the bed?
Although bed-wetting is rarely caused by a serious medical disorder and often resolves itself, for these 5 million children, it's a condition that can create anxiety, embarrassment, and shame.
These feelings are heightened when the child is invited to a sleepover — that familiar childhood rite of passage.
There seems to be a combination of several factors that lead to bed-wetting: an increased production of urine during the night, a small bladder capacity, poor arousal from sleep, and constipation.
The AAP advises a few things to keep in mind. First, bed-wetting is common, and children should not be punished for it. Second, parents should always remember that bed-wetting is a medical problem — it happens because a child's brain and bladder are not communicating with each other at night.
Dr. David Hill helps guide you through some tried-and-true methods to help your child stay dry at night.
Selected Podcast
Don't Despair: The Best Bed-Wetting Advice is Right Here
Featuring:
Dr. David Hill is Vice President of Cape Fear Pediatrics in Wilmington, NC, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UNC Medical School. He serves on the executive committees of the North Carolina Pediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics Council On Communications and the Media. In addition to writing a monthly column for Wilmington Parent Magazine, Dr. Hill writes and records for multiple websites including as Livestrong.com, eHow.com, and thedoctorsvideos.com. He has three children, ages six, nine, and 11.
David Hill, MD
Dr. David Hill is Vice President of Cape Fear Pediatrics in Wilmington, NC, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UNC Medical School. He serves on the executive committees of the North Carolina Pediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics Council On Communications and the Media. In addition to writing a monthly column for Wilmington Parent Magazine, Dr. Hill writes and records for multiple websites including as Livestrong.com, eHow.com, and thedoctorsvideos.com. He has three children, ages six, nine, and 11.