KCTV 5: Experts say bedwetting common among children, offer advice
By Daniel Barnett and Abigail Jaymes
Wetting the bed can be an embarrassing issue for children but medical experts say it’s actually very common.
Children’s Mercy says bedwetting affects five to seven million children in the United States every year. Ten to fifteen percent of children ages five to seven are affected by bedwetting and five percent of children ages eleven to twelve are affected.
There are several factors that go into the problem.
First, constipation can affect a child’s bladder.
Second, family history. Bedwetting runs in the family, so it is typically not an underlying medical problem and the child will usually outgrow it.
Third, an overactive bladder, which occurs when the child cannot store urine in their bladder very well.
According to Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Jamie Neal Lewis, parents can work to prevent their child from wetting the bed by having them practice good daytime habits like making sure they go to the bathroom frequently and encouraging them to relax while doing so.
“Sometimes just cutting back on caffeine, carbonation, other drinks that can irritate your bladder and not let it work as well, such as red dyes or citrusy juices like orange juice or lemonade,” Lewis said. “For some people, cutting back on those types of drinks may make a big difference.”
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Learn about the The Enuresis (Bedwetting) and Voiding Disorder Clinic at Children's Mercy.
Learn about the other services offered through the Division of Pediatric Nephrology at Children's Mercy.