Alexander Center > Common Conditions > Bed-wetting (enuresis)

Common conditions

This section includes conditions that can be evaluated and treated by Alexander Center professionals.

	[ hide list ] A B C | D E F | G H I | J K L | M N O | P Q R | S T U | V W | X Y Z Asperger's disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Auditory processing disorder Autism spectrum disorders   Bed-wetting, soiling Bed-wetting (enuresis) Behavioral problems Childhood apraxia of speech Chronic motor tic Developmental disorders Developmental dyslexia Emotional disorders Fluency disorder, stuttering Habit disorders Learning disorders Mathematics disorder Mixed receptive and expressive language disorder Pervasive development disorder Phonological disorder Psychophysiological disorders Soiling (encopresis) Speech, language disorders Tic disorders Tourette's syndrome Written expression disorders No conditions are available for this section.

Bed-wetting (enuresis)

Children who have enuresis wet the bed at night. This is common in preschoolers and younger children, but needs further attention when it happens in older children. 

Generally, if girls wet the bed after age 6 or boys after age 7, parents may consider taking them to see their doctor for an exam and urine testing. It is largely believed that enuresis is inherited, therefore genetic. Bed-wetting is not believed to be a sign of rebellion or a behavioral disorder. Bed-wetting usually gets better.

If your child has not had problems with bed-wetting and suddenly has an accident, make an appointment with your child’s doctor to check for a bladder infection or other conditions, such as diabetes or stress. 

Treatment

Children who continue to bed-wet after the normal age range should see a doctor to have the problem examined and explained.

The doctor may perform a physical exam to make sure no physical conditions are causing the bed-wetting. As a parent, you may want to encourage your child to pick out a calendar and reward him or herself with stickers for dry-bed nights. Positive reinforcement and reducing shameful feelings can be helpful for your child’s self-esteem.

A bed-wetting alarm also is a variable. It alerts children when they wet the bed in their sleep, and helps get them in the habit of waking up when they have to go to the bathroom. Sometimes older children are prescribed medication for sleepovers and camp.

See also bed-wetting and soiling