Daytime Wetting
Daytime wetting affects about 1 in 75 children over the age of 5 and is more common in girls. Daytime wetting can be embarrassing for your child and can be difficult to deal with, especially at school. It can, in some cases, lead to the onset of bullying and teasing.
What Are The Causes Of This Problem?
For younger children, aged 4 – 5 years it can be:
- A change in routine, a new baby in the family, moving to a new home
- Forgetting to use the toilet when engrossed in other activities
- Common childhood illnesses
For all children
- Being constipated – this puts pressure on the bladder
- Some drinks; e.g. fizzy drinks, especially those containing caffeine
- An infection within the urinary system – urinary tract infection
- Needing to go to the toilet more often – frequency
- An overactive bladder – the need to go to the toilet straight away without warning
- Not completely emptying the bladder when going to the toilet – often caused by not having their feet on the floor when sitting on the toilet
- Result of anxiety or an emotional upset
Bedwetting
Bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is a common problem in childhood. It has been estimated that over half a million children between the ages of 5 and 16 in the UK regularly wet the bed.
What Are The Causes Of This Problem?
It is not easy to identify why some children develop a problem with bedwetting, but one of the following reasons may provide an explanation:
- The body’s system to slow down urine production at night is not working yet and your child therefore has to cope with daytime levels of urine production during the night
- The bladder holds lower than average amounts of urine before giving a signal that it is full. The bladder may also be overactive which gives an urgent signal before it is actually full
- The signal from bladder to brain to wake up at night and get to the toilet is not getting through
- Anxieties may also be a factor, such as a new baby in the family or moving to a new home
What Can Parents Do?
If day time or night time wetting is a problem for your child, try not to get too frustrated. Make an appointment to see your GP or health visitor. They may put you in touch with your local continence service and a continence nurse or specialist physiotherapist. They are healthcare professionals who specialise in bladder and bowel problems.
Before your appointment with a healthcare professional, it is a good idea to make a record of how often your child has been to the toilet, how many accidents that they have in a day and what they are drinking.
Following an initial appointment with a healthcare professional, there are some routine tests and investigations which may be required:
- Routine urine test to rule out a bladder infection
- General health check to exclude any underlying problems
- Measuring your child’s bladder capacity by passing urine into a jug
- An ultrasound scan of the urinary tract (bladder and kidneys) to check the bladder is emptying properly
There are a number of other things that a parent can do to help daytime wetting including: setting up a toilet routine, encouraging your child to drink 6 – 8 water based drinks over the whole day, making sure your child follows a healthy diet and gets enough exercise.
For information and support about childhood continence issues, you can contact ERIC – Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence. ERIC is the national charity that provides information and support for children and young people under 18 years of age with continence issues, and their families.
ERIC helpline – 0845 370 8008 – Monday – Thursday 10am – 2pm
Website – www.eric.org.uk Email: [email protected]
Where Can I Get Help?
If you are under the age of 16 the first thing you should do is discuss your concerns with a parent or guardian. If you feel unable to do this then maybe you’d feel comfortable talking to your school nurse. We also have an information sheet called ‘Love Your Gusset’ which covers SUI for women and teenagers.
If you are over 16 years of age or you are a parent or guardian concerned for a child, the first thing you should do is see your GP for an assessment of the symptoms, or if you prefer you can also self-refer to an NHS continence clinic (details available from B&BC).
