Everything You Want To Know about Bed Wetting

Bed wetting is a very common problem often ignored and seldom talked about. It is a condition in which a person urinates uncontrollably during sleep. It is also known as nocturnal enuresis (NE). Usually, it affects children but if untreated, can also become a problem of adolescents and adults.

There are two types of bedwetting: primary and secondary. Primary enuresis is a condition in which bed wetting occurs constantly since birth, with no prolonged period of dryness. Secondary enuresis is a condition in which bedwetting occurs after being dry continually for at least 6 months.

According to specialists, 10-15 percent of 5 year olds who have relatively healthy urinary system are affected by bed wetting. The rate of occurrence drops to around 5 percent for children 10 to 15 years old, and to an estimated 1 to 2 percent for 16 to 18 year olds.

Accidental urination is common in children 4 years and younger because bladder control is still being developed at that age. Usually, at around 5 or 6, most children learn to control their bladder. However, other factors should also be taken into account before coming into conclusion that a child has nocturnal enuresis. Some of these factors are: the child's maturity and development, the child's gender, the child's health, both emotional and physical, the culture in which the child is being raised and the attitude of the child, and the parents or the people who are raising the child. A parent should weigh in these different conditions and circumstances before raising an alarm.

Causes of bed wetting in children vary considerably. Some believe that it is a combination of different things such as small capacity of bladder; inability to wake up at night when bladder is full, generating immense amount of urine during night time; insufficient antidiuretic hormone (ADH); slowed growth and maturation, psychological and social conditions and genetics.

Generally, bedwetting isn't considered a serious health problem. Many just outgrow it. There is no known cure for it but it is a very treatable condition. Some of the possible treatments involve utilizing some type of alarm or altering the drinking and eating pattern of a child. However, other symptoms like burning and abnormality in urination, wetting during daytime, cloudy or different colored urine, soiling, and other unusual signs can be an indication of a more serious problem. More evaluation is needed in such cases. It's best to seek professional help in order to determine the best possible course of action for this condition.

It's immensely important for parents to keep in mind that children who suffer from this problem should never be reprimanded or shamed. Bed wetting isn't done intentionally and is not an indication of laziness. A parent can make the problem worse by being mad or by reacting the wrong way. It could be traumatic for the child and could damage self-esteem. Furthermore, it could have a negative effect on the child's social skills. Support from parents is needed by a child who has this condition.

Adult bed wetting is almost a taboo subject but not that rare. Around 20 million American adults are afflicted with bladder control problems. Most of them are elderly, 75 percent are women. Physical ailments such as worn muscles, urinary organ dysfunction, defective bladders and the like result in lost of control.

Inspite of the large number of adults suffering from bed wetting, very few treatment programs are available for adults. Many who have failed previous programs are reluctant to seek further medical help, fearing that any treatment might prove futile once more. Stigma attached to bed wetting also prevents sufferers from divulging the problem to their doctors.

Practical solutions like using pants made of rubber material and adult diapers are the answers to this condition for many. The fear of others discovering this problem causes constant worry and trepidation. Hence, bed wetting remains a closet issue for a lot of people. Nevertheless, experimental treatments are continuously tried which gives hope to many.