Bed Wetting

By Pia Mattix Davis                                                                                                                                  Peter Dazeley / Getty Images

Nocturnal enuresis, or bed wetting, is a fairly common childhood occurrence.  For many reasons, parents tend to become annoyed or frustrated when their child wets the bed after potting training. Unfortunately there is little correlation between daytime and night time bladder control.  According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, nocturnal enuresis is not a result of drinking liquids before bedtime, the result of a psychological problem, laziness or to spite parents.
Instead Nocturnal enuresis is often caused by:

• Genetic factors (it tends to run in families)
• Difficulties waking up from sleep
• Slower than normal development of the central nervous system—this reduces the child's ability to stop the bladder from emptying at night
• Hormonal factors (not enough antidiuretic hormone—this hormone reduces the amount of urine made by the kidneys)
• Urinary tract infections
• Abnormalities in the urethral valves in boys or in the ureter in girls or boys
• Abnormalities in the spinal cord

 
Before and after seeking help from medical professional, parents should empathize with their child, and show compassion and respect.  Treat bedwetting as you would any other accident.

• Don’t fuss at or berate the child upon discovering that they wet the bed.​

                   Just say good morning,  ask if the child requires help making their bed.

• Assist the child with changing bed linens or do it yourself without complaint or comment.

                  Show compassion by helping, which communicates that the child is not being punished.

• Help the child with bathing as necessary​

                 Change bath time to morning time.  No child should go through the day smelling of urine.

• Expect an accident, factor additional time into the morning routine

              Don't make the child feel as if it is his or her fault for arriving to school or other events late.

• Don’t casually talk about your child’s issues to family or friends​

              Nocturnal Enuresis deserves the same discretion as any other medical condition.
 
Bed wetting like, waking at night, and toddler tantrums will soon become a thing of the past, but a child’s remembrance of their parent's response to everyday events can linger for a lifetime.
           
 #empathy   #respect  #positiveparenting