Understanding bedwetting
As part of our partnership with ERIC, The Children’s Bowel & Bladder Charity, we want to make bedwetting seem less scary— because it’s not! ERIC is committed to providing support to families facing challenges with incontinence.
We spoke to Sarah Timms, Head of Family Services and Support at ERIC, who reassured us that “bedwetting is no one’s fault”. In our video, Sarah also discusses some of the myths that are often shared around bedwetting.
While it’s easy to know that nighttime accidents are a normal part of childhood development, it’s even easier to feel alone and blame yourself as a parent or carer.
At ERIC, we support hundreds of families every year with their child’s bedwetting.
Over 15% of all calls we received to our Helpline in the last 12 months were about this common, but very distressing condition.
Common myths about bedwetting
Though bedwetting is common, it isn’t often spoken about openly. But, bedwetting is nothing to be ashamed of—neither you or your child are doing anything wrong. In recent years, the stigma around bedwetting has started to lift, and it’s becoming easier to find support.
However, there are lots of misconceptions floating around regarding bedwetting from other parents and carers. With so many opinions to sift through, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve partnered with ERIC to debunk some of the common myths about bedwetting.
1. Drinking too much before bed causes nighttime accidents
While it seems logical that less fluid equals less wee, in actuality, this could make bedwetting worse. If children aren’t intaking enough fluid, this can cause the bladder to become dehydrated and overactive. It’s important for bedwetting children to drink plenty of water evenly throughout the day to maintain healthy functions.
Help your child learn good bedtime habits, such as no more liquids an hour before bed and making sure they go for a last wee before settling down to sleep.
2. Treatment can’t happen until age 7
By the time your child reaches school, they are probably dry during the day most of the time but could still be wetting the bed at night. While this isn’t a cause for concern in itself, as many school-aged children have nighttime accidents, the disrupted sleep and tiredness could negatively impact their education.
There’s an unfounded belief that you have to wait until your child is still wetting the bed at 7 before you can get treatment from a doctor—but you can actually access a range of resources earlier than you think.
The good news is that treatment is available from the age of 5.
At ERIC, we provide support and guidance to families who can access either our free Helpline, or using the many free resources we have available on our website.
3. Children are too lazy to get out of bed
No child likes to lie in damp sheets, and they aren’t wetting the bed on purpose while they’re awake. In reality, bedwetting happens while children are sleeping and have no awareness that it’s happening.
As adults, our brains are able to recognise when we need to use the toilet at night and will either tell our bladder to hold on until morning or wake us up if we really need to go. But for children, it takes some time for this connection from bladder to brain to form. This disconnect means children aren’t aware that they need a wee and therefore can’t subconsciously control their bladder.
Many children develop this connection as they grow and stop wetting the bed in their own time.
Bedwetting is treatable
Managing bedwetting can be a challenge, and it’s natural for parents and carers to want to make their children feel better.
The good news is, there is support available to help you and your child during this normal developmental stage.
Find support to manage bedwetting with free resources from ERIC. Sarah provided some suggestions for parents and carers struggling to figure out where to start,
There is lots of helpful advice on our main Bedwetting page, and our downloadable Advice for Children with Night Time Wetting resource. These can support you with where to start and how to help your child stop wetting the bed.
ERIC also has a team of expert helpline advisors available to offer personal support. Call their helpline on 0808 8010 343 (lines open Monday to Thursday between 10am and 2pm), or submit an enquiry through their online form.
You can also explore our bedwetting guides for advice on a range of challenges, such as school trips, regression, and looking after your mental health.
Get support for bedwetting today
Treatment for bedwetting often starts at home. As detailed by Sarah at ERIC, there are several things you can do to identify any underlying causes and start improving your child’s bladder health.
The first tips we give parents and carers are to rule out or treat constipation. This is because symptoms from constipation could disguise the main reason for wetting.
We also suggest working on improving your child’s drinking habits to help their bladder health; stop drinks an hour before bed; and make life as easy as possible for yourself by protecting the bed.
You can sign up for a free sample of DryNites® Pyjama Pants by visiting their website.
Wearing DryNites® Pyjama Pants at night can help your child sleep through the night so they can get all the rest they need to enjoy life everyday. Sign up to receive your free sample of DryNites® Pyjama Pants and start your journey to overcoming bedwetting.
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