When to seek medical advice
10% of children aged 3-15 years old experience bedwetting and the vast majority eventually grow out of it. One day, your child will stop having to worry about staying dry through the night. Whilst there is no magical cure for bedwetting there are things you can consider to help you and your child through this phase.
When to Seek Medical Advice
Nighttime dryness is a totally different process than daytime potty training and typically lags by at least 4-6 months, if not a few years. It’s not as simple as getting serious about night time potty training. That’s because it’s almost completely biological. A little switch in the brain slows down the production of urine at night, but that switch only comes online when it’s good and ready. There is some evidence that bedwetting is hereditary, which is why the age of nighttime dryness often runs in families. Also, many children who experience nighttime wetting are deep sleepers, so they may not naturally wake when their bladder is full.
Parents may be worried that something is wrong if their little one still needs nighttime protection. But for the vast majority of the time, wetting at night is not unusual and is common!
If you are concerned, see your doctor to get reassurance and discuss treatment options available to your child. You should also see your doctor if your child has been dry in the night for over 6 months and starts wetting the bed again.
Last Updated July, 2021