Health Tip: If Your Child Wets the Bed

Some suggestions for parents

Related Encyclopedia • Acne • Alagille Syndrome • Appendicitis • Asthma in Children More... Related Animations • Dental Cavities More... Related Healthscout Videos Picture Perfect Smile Space Age Dental Scan Bioengineering versus Avian-Based HA? Better Balance: It is Rocket Science More... Related Drug Information • Adderal XR • Concerta • Strattera More... Related News Articles • Scientists ID 2 New Genes for Bowel Disease in Kids • Think You Are Lead-Free? Check Your Soil • Kids' Fever Time Cut Using Ibuprofen First • Non-Hospital Baby Abductions a New Concern More...

(HealthDay News) -- While some cases of bed-wetting are triggered by a medical condition, most often the problem occurs as a child learns bladder control.

Text Continues Below

---

Here are suggestions for parents to help prevent their child from bed-wetting, courtesy of the University of Florida:

• Wake your child at regular intervals to use the bathroom. Progressively stretch out these intervals until the child makes it through the night without wetting the bed.
• Don't let your child drink too much at night, especially beverages with caffeine. Make sure your child gets enough to drink during the day, however, to prevent dehydration.
• Try a moisture alarm, which reacts to moisture and will wake the child to use the bathroom.
• Have the child try bladder exercises, such as stopping and holding a stream of urine.
• For bed-wetting problems that cannot be resolved with time and training, medication and psychotherapy may be in order.

-- Diana Kohnle