Publication date Sep 14, 2007
Lots of children wet the bed. Most grow out of it without any problems. But if your child is upset about wetting the bed, or you're worried about your child, there are things you can do to help.
It's common for young children to wet the bed. It's often a normal part of growing up. At the age of 5, about 15 to 20 out of 100 children wet the bed. About 5 in 100 children wet the bed when they're 10.
Some children start to wet the bed when they're a bit older, even if they haven't done it before. This may happen if a child is stressed or frightened, perhaps because of bullying or problems at home. But there's not always an obvious cause. Occasionally, a medical condition can cause a child to wet the bed. This could be an infection or a problem in the parts of their body that carry urine. Having diabetes also can cause children to wet the bed.
Bedwetting isn't serious. But it can make children feel embarrassed or upset, especially if they're older or they get teased about it.
Most children stop wetting the bed in their own time. There are treatments that can help your child stop wetting the bed sooner, but doctors don't usually recommend them until a child is 7 or older.
If your child starts wetting the bed when you take them out of nappies, just try again a few months later. Lots of children still need nappies at night when they start school.
The most important thing is to support your child and not be angry with them. Remind your child to go to the toilet before they go to bed, and make sure they aren't scared to get up and go in the night. Leaving a light on might help. You could try setting an alarm clock to wake your child just before the time when they usually wet the bed.
Don't stop your child drinking when they're thirsty. But you could stop offering your child drinks two to three hours before bedtime, and wait until they ask. It also may help to avoid drinks with caffeine in them, such as tea, coffee, cola and chocolate.
You can buy an alarm that wakes your child if they wet the bed. They're advertised on the Internet, or you may be able to borrow one from your doctor. One brand name is Malem.
About two-thirds of children stop wetting the bed after using an alarm. They'll probably need to keep using it for several months. An alarm may startle your child or go off when it's not supposed to, but it isn't likely to cause any other problems.
Dry bed training involves waking your child in the night so they can go to the toilet. On the first night, you wake your child every hour after they go to bed until 1 a.m. For the next five nights, you wake your child three hours after they fall asleep. By the seventh night, your child should wake up on their own. You have to repeat these steps if your child wets the bed three nights in a row.
There's no good research to show that dry bed training works on its own. But using it with a bedwetting alarm seems to work slightly better than using an alarm on its own.
A drug called desmopressin (brand names include Desmotabs and Desmomelt) can help children have fewer wet nights. It works in a similar way to a natural hormone in your child's body. It makes their urine more concentrated, so they don't make as much of it.
Desmopressin comes as tablets and as a pill that dissolves under your child's tongue. It works quickly, but your child will probably start wetting the bed again once they stop taking it. It may be useful for sleepovers or holidays, but bedwetting alarms probably work better in the long run.
Desmopressin isn't used for children under 5 years old. And it's not usually recommended for children under 7.
About 1 in 20 children get side effects, such as a headache, rash, sore throat or disturbed sight. The spray version can cause a sore nose, nosebleeds or a bad taste in the mouth. Don't give your child desmopressin if they're vomiting or have diarrhoea. And make sure they don't drink too much while they're taking it. Very rarely, desmopressin can lead to a seizure (fit) or a coma, caused by too much fluid in the body.
If desmopressin doesn't work, doctors occasionally suggest a tricyclic antidepressant, such as imipramine (Tofranil). These drugs can mean fewer wet nights, but children often start wetting the bed again when they stop taking them. Side effects are common. In studies, up to one-third of children taking imipramine got side effects. These included anxiety, loss of appetite, constipation, depression, diarrhoea, a dry mouth, feeling sleepy, headaches and an upset tummy.
A drug called oxybutynin (Ditropan) is sometimes used for children who wet the bed. But there's no good research to say that it works. It's usually used for children who also wet themselves in the day. Your child may feel dizzy and sick when they take this drug. They may also get a dry mouth, headaches, a fast heartbeat and disturbed sight.
Most children stop wetting the bed eventually, even without any treatment. However, about 1 in 100 children continue to wet the bed even when grown up. If bedwetting becomes a problem, your doctor will be able to help. They may want to check for bladder problems or another illness.
This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2007. All rights reserved
This information does not replace medical advice.
If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.