Bedwetting, or sleep enuresis, is an undesired event that occurs during slumber. It involves the involuntary elimination of urine while the person is asleep.
The outcome of not rousing from sleep when your bladder is full or hindering a bladder contraction are skills gained throughout infancy and adolescence.
The age range for acquiring skills in this area varies greatly. While urinating is a reflexive action for infants, both asleep and awake, until about 18 months of age.
From 18 months to three years of age, a child starts learning to postpone urinating when their bladder is full. Initially, the skill is mastered while the child is conscious.
As the child matures, they can eventually learn to do this while asleep. The age at which the skill is acquired depends on their developmental progress.
By the time they are around five years old, most youngsters should have mastered the skill of bladder control in their sleep. Therefore, bedwetting isn't considered a sleep disorder unless it's happening twice or more times in a week for someone aged five or over.
Secondary bedwetting is when a child has been dry for at least six months, but then begins wetting the bed again.
A person who had achieved dryness for six continuous months before may have now begun to wet the bed at least twice a week for an interval of three months or more.
Vasopressin is produced in the pituitary gland and has an effect on urine production by the kidneys. Its concentration rises during sleep, curbing the need to urinate.
A few children with primary bedwetting, however, lack the typical boost of vasopressin as they sleep. This can lead to an excessive amount of urine production which their bladders are unable to contain. If they remain asleep they will end up wetting the bed.
The primary danger faced by a child with bedwetting is potential damage to self-esteem. It's imperative that the family are aware of how to handle this, as their attitude can influence the severity of the issue.
What are the symptoms for bedwetting?
If your child is over five and has primary bedwetting, they may experience nighttime urination by accident on a regular basis. This happens even if they have never been dry during sleep for more than six months. Meanwhile, if they suffer from secondary bedwetting, they may still involuntarily wet the bed on a weekly basis but have had long periods of being dry in the past.
It is also important to know if there is something else that is causing the bedwetting. It may be a result of one of the following:
- Another sleep disorder
- A medical condition
- Medication use
- A mental health disorder
- Substance abuse