What
Causes Bedwetting?
While bedwetting can be a symptom
of an underlying disease, a large majority of children who wet the bed have no
underlying disease that explains their bedwetting. In fact, an underlying
condition is identified in only about 1% of children who routinely wet the bed.
That does not mean that the child who wets
the bed can control it or is doing it on purpose. Children who bedwetting are
not lazy, willful, or disobedient. Bedwetting is most often a developmental
issue.
There are 2 types of bedwetting: primary and
secondary. Primary means bedwetting that has been ongoing since early childhood
without a break. A child with primary bedwetting has never been dry at night
for any significant length of time. Secondary bedwetting is bedwetting that
starts up after the child has been dry at night for a significant period of
time, at least 6 months.
The cause is likely due to one or a
combination of the following:
- The child cannot yet hold urine for the entire night.
- The child does not waken when his or her bladder is full.
- The child produces a large amount of urine during the evening and
night hours.
- The child has poor daytime toilet habits. Many children habitually
ignore the urge to urinate and put off urinating as long as they possibly
can. Parents usually are familiar with the leg crossing, face straining,
squirming, squatting, and groin holding that children use to hold back
urine.
What
Causes Secondary Bedwetting?
Secondary bedwetting can be a sign of an
underlying medical or emotional problem. The child with secondary bedwetting is
much more likely to have other symptoms, such as daytime wetting. Common causes
of secondary bedwetting include the following:
Urinary
tract infection: The resulting
bladder irritation can cause pain or irritation with urination, a stronger urge
to urinate (urgency), and frequent urination (frequency). Urinary tract
infections in children may indicate another problem, such as an anatomical
abnormality.
Diabetes: People with diabetes have a high level of
sugar in their blood. The body increases urine output to try to get rid of the
sugar. Having to urinate frequently is a common symptom of diabetes.
Structural
or anatomical abnormality: An
abnormality in the organs, muscles, or nerves involved in urination can cause
incontinence or other urinary problems that could show up as bedwetting.
Neurological
problems: Abnormalities in the
nervous system, or injury or disease of the nervous system, can upset the
delicate neurological balance that controls urination.
Emotional
problems: A stressful home life, as
in a home where the parents are in conflict, sometimes causes children to wet
the bed. Major changes, such as starting school, a new baby, or moving to a new
home, are other stresses that can also cause bedwetting. Children who are being
physically or sexually abused sometimes begin bedwetting.
Remedies for Bedwetting
1. Cinnamon:
Cinnamon powder is one of the most effective ways that can make your child stop
wetting the bed at night. Make your child chew cinnamon bark once in a day.
But, if he doesn’t want to chew it, then, powder the cinnamon bark
and mix some sugar in it. Sprinkle the mix over the bread toast and serve it to
your child during the breakfast.
2. Indian
Gooseberries: Indian gooseberries, popularly known as amla,
are extremely helpful in treating the problem of bedwetting in your child.
Crush gooseberries and pour some honey over them and sprinkle a pinch of
turmeric. Serve it in breakfast to your child. You can also add black pepper
powder to the pulp of gooseberries and give it to your child, every night
before he heads to bed.
3. Olive Oil:
Olive oil is yet another effective and relieving home remedy to treat
bedwetting. Heat some olive oil and gently rub it on the lower abdomen of your
child, massaging gently over and around the lower abdomen. The heating effect
will restrain the urination by your child in bed, during the night.
4. Cranberries:
Cranberries are really blissful for various ailments of the body, including
kidney infections and bedwetting. Although, it is said that you should not give
any liquids to your kid before he/she goes to sleep, but cranberry juice can be
given as it will solve the problem by treating it effectively.
5.
Walnuts and Raisins: Children enjoy eating dry fruits and nuts as a snack.
Give a handful of walnuts and raisins to your child before he/she is heading to
sleep and continue to do so for a few months until you see some positive
results.
6. Honey:
Honey is a natural sweetener, and it doesn’t add any fat to the body. You can
give a tablespoon of honey to your child, every night. You can even put a
tablespoon of honey in his/her glass of milk, instead of sugar, to cure the
ailment.
7. Apple
Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar regulates the acid levels in the stomach
and hence, reduces the urge to urinate frequently. Simply, put some apple cider
vinegar in a glass of water and make your child consume that water at least 3
times a day.
8. Mustard:
Mustard and its seeds are really beneficial in treating the problem of
bedwetting. Stir some mustard seeds in a cup of warm milk and serve it to your
child an hour before he/she heads to sleep.
9. Jiggery:
Your child won’t wet the bed if his/her body remains warm and jiggery is one
such things that keep the body of your child warm from inside. Give your child
a piece of jiggery to eat, post meals.
Else, mix
black sesame seeds, jiggery and celery seeds in equal amounts. Give 1 tsp of
this mixture to your child in the morning, followed with a cup of milk.
Practice it for 1-2 months. This remedy will cure the problem of bedwetting in
your child.
10.
Fennel Seeds: Fennel is another important and efficacious remedy against
the problem of bedwetting. Take a glass of warm milk and add a teaspoon of
fennel to it, followed with 2 tbsp sugar syrup. Give it to your child every day
for beneficial results.
11. Banana:
Feed your kid 2-3 bananas, each day. It will help you to treat the problem
of bedwetting in your child.
12.
Bladder Exercise: Apart from trying all the above mentioned home remedies,
you can make your child exercise to make his bladder stronger and better. Offer
him lots of liquids throughout the day and when he feels the urge to urinate,
tell him to control his urine for as long as possible as this is going to make
his bladder stronger and will cure the problem, gradually.
Is
Bedwetting Inherited?
Bedwetting does tend to run in families. Many
children who wet the bed have a parent who did too. Most of these children stop
bedwetting on their own at about the same age their parent did.
REMEMBER
- Avoid giving fluid to your child during the night, especially before
bedtime.
- Make it a habit of your child to go to the bathroom before sleeping.
- Reward your child or appreciate him/her with something for being dry
whole night.
- Ask your kid after an interval of time if he/she wants to go to the bathroom for passing the urine.