Re: 8 year old still wets bed, is this normal

Subject: 8 year old still wets bed, is this normal

Forum: The Child Behaviorial Health Forum


My 8 year old son is still wetting the bed.  I don't know
if he will grow out of this or if he has some kind of problem.
My son has done this for years and I don't know if it is an emotional
problem or if it is just normal.  I have asked his doctors and they
say he should grow out of this but he hasn't.  If you can help
please do so.
Thanks,
Teresa




Dear Theresa,
Bed-wetting at night, or nocturnal enuresis, is not at all rare in eight-year-olds, particularly if the child has never achieved dryness at night. Some children achieve bladder control at night, then revert to bed-wetting, sometimes as the result of stress. While it used to be thought that persistent bed-wetting, beyond the age at which most children achieve dryness, was due to psychological problems, this is no longer regarded as the most likely contributing factor. Most children with wetting problems at night (particularly if they've never achieved control) show no evidence of psychological problems. It is generally more true that children who are still wetting the bed at the age of eight show a lag in development of the nervous system controls on elimination. Of course, even when psychological problems do not cause nocturnal enuresis, persistent bed-wetting can itself prove stressful to a child and can cause emotional problems. The condition can prevent such children from common experiences with peers, such as having overnight guests or sleeping overninht at a friend's home.
It would be wise to consult your pediatrician and perhaps have your child examined by a urologist, in order to rule out a physiologic cause of the condition. If your son is motivated to stay dry at night, and there is no physiologic cause of the problem, he may respond to a behavioral approach, according to which you would reward him for 'dry' nights. There are also electronic devices that sound an alarm at the passage of the first drops of urine. Many children find such devices useful in achieving control. Medications may also be useful - your pediatrician can give you some guidance about these.
Even if nothing of a systematic nature is done to address the situation (provided there is no physiologic problem), it is very likely your son will achieve dryness by puberty - this is usually the situation, even when children have continually wet the bed throughout their childhood.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only. Consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your situation/condition.
*Keyword: bed-wetting, enuresis














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