some children are able to identify the feeling of needing to have a bowel movement, but ignore the urge because they do not want to take the time t...
It is very common to fluctuate between wet and dry nights as children move toward nighttime continence – thankfully as time goes on the periods whe...
it is very common to fluctuate between wet and dry nights as children move toward nighttime continence – thankfully as time goes on the periods whe...
Bedwetting can be very embarrassing for children and incredibly worrying and frustrating to parents, particularly when it continues throughout the ...
Chronic constipation is a common but often unrecognised cause of nighttime wetting. Along with nocturnal enuresis, other signs of constipation inc...
Hi Trish – firstly, I’m very sorry for your loss and congratulations on the birth of your new baby. Faecal incontinence in children is typically a ...
Abdominal pain can sometimes be an indication of constipation. Chronic constipation is a common but often unrecognised cause nocturnal enuresis as ...
The reduction in the number of times children wet the bed is a very good indication that they are well on their way to achieving nighttime continen...
Children wet the bed for a number of reasons, some do so because they produce double the amount of urine overnight, others do so as they are unable...
It is completely normal for parents to feel tense or frustrated and at a loss when it comes to dealing with bedwetting – you are not alone! It help...
there are lots of other mothers out there asking the very same question. Many of us feel that once our child has achieved daytime control nighttime...
It is not unusual for bedwetting to run in families with studies showing an underlying genetic link. There is still a great deal of debate surround...
It is not unusual for your daughter to be wetting the bed at age 5 with about 15% of children still doing so by the time they start school. Typical...
your son’s type of bedwetting would be considered secondary enuresis (SE) – this is less common and has different underlying causes. When children ...
we usually do not consider daytime wetting to be a problem until after children have turned 4 years of age or reach a developmental age of 4 - this...
Hi Daphne – it is not unusual for children to experience some regression in their toileting skills at times of stress and certainly the pending bi...
Hi Elise, it is certainly fine for you to wear DryNites both during the day and night. If you do wear them to school you should make sure you chan...
Hi Britney – nice to hear from you again! Leakage often results from improper fit, which can occur if your DryNites are too small. Check that the...
While perfectly normal, this must be incredibly frustrating for both you and him! Reassure him that it is very common for children as they move tow...
When it comes to parenting, consistency is certainly the key, whether we are talking about managing challenging behaviours or bedwetting. The good...
Given his age and the regularity of his wetting it is very important that you make an appointment with your GP so that they can investigate the c...
While it is quite common for children to continue to experience nighttime incontinence at age 6, regular daytime accidents are less common and shou...
Unfortunately nighttime continence does not work in the same way as daytime training – nighttime wetting typically happens when children are asleep...
Hi Belinda – this is incredibly frustrating but not that uncommon. The average time it takes children to become toilet trained is anywhere between ...
Hi Amanda – bladder infections are certainly one cause of nighttime wetting so I would definitely have your son checked by your GP. I would also d...
Hi Kerry – divorce can be incredibly stressful for all involved, especially young children. It is not uncommon for children to experience toiletin...
Hi Christine - Faecal incontinence in children is typically a sign that your child is suffering from constipation. If left untreated, constipation ...
Children diagnosed with kidney reflux can experience bedwetting as a symptom of this condition. Depending on your daughters diagnosis, children wi...
Hi Jane, Sleepovers, slumber parties and school camps are common sources of stress for children who wet the bed. It is important that your son is...
Hi Lisa, while there has certainly been some debate about the use of absorbent pants in the management of children’s bedwetting there is no resea...
Hi Michelle, it’s lovely to hear from you. Bedwetting has a number of underlying causes. The most common cause of bedwetting is a neurological-de...
Hi P.C, it is perfectly normal for your son to be still using nappies throughout the day. The average age for boys to achieve daytime continence i...
Hi Melissa, the age at which children achieve nighttime continence is quite variable with many boys not becoming dry at night until 8 years of age....
Hi Rebecca, it is perfectly normal for your son to still be wetting the bed at night. The time between achieving daytime continence and nighttime ...
Hi L.T. - Not surprisingly, bedwetting becomes more of an issue as children get older and want to start attending sleepovers or school camps. Give...
Dear Karen and Ben, it must be incredibly frustrating and disheartening when you feel like you’ve tried it all and still no success. There are a f...
Hi K.J., this is perfectly normal behaviour, in fact some medical professionals argue that bedwetting, particularly among boys, is developmentally ...
Hi Kristy, while reward systems are generally discouraged in the management of children’s bedwetting you could certainly adopt this approach to try...
Hi Tiffany, while bedwetting can be incredibly distressing for parents please be reassured that it is perfectly normal for your son to still wet th...
Hi D. B., It sounds like your son is experiencing night tremors, a common occurrence among toddlers and preschoolers. Night tremors differ from nig...
Hi Chantell, it is perfectly normal for your son to be still wetting the bed at night so there is absolutely no cause for concern. Many children, ...
Hi Rochelle - Unfortunately when it comes to treating children’s bedwetting, what works for one does not necessarily work for others. How old was ...
Hi Leisa, the first thing you need to do is seek medical advice – any form of daytime incontinence after the age of 5 years needs to be investiga...
Hi Velika, the time it takes between achieving daytime control and nighttime continence is quite variable. Some children achieve this in a matter ...
Hi Karolyn, this must be incredibly distressing for you all. Certainly when it comes to the more traditional measures, conditioning alarms continue...
Thank you for submitting your question to Dr Cathrine. It has come to our attention that you have submitted 18 questions to Dr Cathrine. We und...
Children’s overnight urine output can be quite variable – parents of children who seem to pass a lot of urine overnight sometimes find it easier to...
There is little evidence to suggest that wearing absorbent pants either extends or shortens the bedwetting process. The main purpose of DryNites i...
Hi M. A. – It is quite common for 3-year-old children to be wetting the bed at night. While some children become dry at night a few weeks or month...
Hi Kim - the age at which children stop wetting the bed is quite variable. Given the strong genetic link it is not unusual for a number of children...
Hi Pauline, given the strong genetic link it is not unusual to find a number of children in the one family who wet the bed – however, if neither yo...
Children with special needs often take longer to attain bladder and bowel control, with many parents sighting toileting issues as one of the bigges...
Hi Michelle, you do not mention in your question how long your son had been dry at night for. If it has been for a period of 6 months or more then...
Hi Sarah – unfortunately unlike daytime continence the road to achieving nighttime continence is less direct, with many a speed bump! Unlike toile...
Hi Angela, you seem to be completely on top of the situation. While we no longer recommend restricting fluids completely before bedtime it is a go...
Hi Sharyn, the first thing you need to do is rule out any underlying medical cause. Sometimes a return to daytime wetting may be a sign of a urina...
Hi Maria - It is not uncommon for parents of children who wet the bed to comment on how heavy a sleeper their child is. Children who are particular...
Hi A.K. - The tricky (and frustrating!) thing about bedwetting is that we do not always know why it happens – which means that it is not simple and...
Hi Dianne - Secondary Nocturnal Enuresis (SNE) is the term used to describe a situation where children have been previously dry for six or more mon...
Hi Carmen - if your son’s kidney is healthy and completely normal it may not be the cause of his bedwetting. Bedwetting can be the result of a num...
Hi K.T. – firstly, let me congratulate you on making the distinction between accidental and deliberate wetting, this is not always easily done espe...
Hi Kathleen - It is quite common for parents of children who wet the bed to comment on how heavy a sleeper their child is. Children who are particu...
Hi S.C. – bedwetting tends to become more of an issue as children get older and want to start attending sleepovers. One way you could reduce his an...
Hi Miranda, It is quite common for parents of children who wet the bed to comment on how heavy a sleeper their child is. Researchers have shown tha...
This is certainly a challenging situation. Alarms are generally the most effective means of treating bedwetting, although it is true that they do ...
It can be incredibly frustrating when you feel like you’ve tried it all and yet met with little success. When it comes to the more traditional m...
Sometimes a change in environment can contribute to children’s bedwetting. It is also quite common for children to experience an increase in bedwe...
Absorbency levels are the same for both sizes so the only reason to change would be if the small size were too small. It is important that the DryN...
Hi Rachael, due to the strong genetic link it is not unusual to find a number of children in the same family experiencing bedwetting. When genet...
Hi Jodie – one of the most frustrating things for parents of children who wet the bed is that we don’t always understand why it is happening. W...
Firstly, let me reassure you that what your son is experiencing is perfectly normal for someone his age. There are a number of possible reasons why...
Given you are not aware that you are wetting at night, I would not necessarily describe this behaviour as deliberate. If your wetting were uncontr...
Hi D. K. – parenting can be both incredibly challenging and equally rewarding. As parents, we can become frustrated or angry with our children esp...
Hi Anna, your son is experiencing what is commonly referred to as secondary nocturnal enuresis – a term which is used to describe the condition w...
Hi Sue – Parents of children who wet the bed often comment on the fact that their child sleeps through unaware of the fact that they have wet. Thi...
Hi David – while I’m not aware of any research directly linking testosterone with bedwetting in boys, there may be an indirect link in that increas...
The time between being daytime trained and achieving nighttime continence is quite variable. Unlike toilet training, which is conscious and delibe...
Hi Christine, as frustrating as this behaviour may be please be reassured that it is perfectly normal and has very little to do with anything you o...
Hi Hilary, the time between achieving daytime continence and nighttime control is different for every child. While some achieve this in a matter o...
There are a number of possible contributing factors at play here. Firstly, there is a much higher incidence of bedwetting among children with autis...
It’s always lovely to hear from another parent! It is certainly true that many a daytime accident occurs as a result of children holding on for to...
Starting school can be an incredibly stressful time for young children; there are new routines that they need to become familiar with, new rules, n...
Hi Brooke - while we no longer recommend restricting fluids completely before bedtime it is perfectly fine to reduce the amount he drinks in the ev...
Hi Lyndamarie, this is certainly a challenging and complex situation. In these situations I generally recommend that you adhere to your doctors su...
Hi John, there are a number of possible explanations for why your son continues to wet himself throughout the day. Given his age and the frequency...
It really is a personal decision as to whether or not to use DryNites. Many parents (and children) choose to use DryNites to reduce the stress asso...
Hi Diana, the best indicator that your son is moving toward achieving nighttime continence is an increase in the number of mornings he wakes-up dry...
Hi Kelly, when bedwetting starts to impact on a child’s self-esteem then it is time to think about treatment regardless of how old they are! Fir...
If you have not done so already the first thing you need to do is schedule an appointment with your GP for a full medical assessment. Bedwetting m...
It is very common for children as they move toward achieving permanent nighttime continence to oscillate between periods of dryness and times when ...
In order for your son to become dry at night he either needs to learn to wake in response to a full-bladder or his bladder needs to develop to a po...
Bedwetting among teenagers can really impact on their self-esteem and can lead to isolation and alienation. Having a teenager who wets the bed can ...
Hi Cherie, firstly, let me reassure you that your son’s behaviour is perfectly normal. It is quite common for children to experience daytime acc...
Dear H.M., It is not unusual for children to waiver between periods of dryness and return to wetting as they move toward achieving permanent nightt...
Bedwetting can be incredibly distressing for the whole family. If you have not done so already the first step is to make an appointment with your ...
Bedwetting can be incredibly worrying especially when children continue to wet at night beyond the age most people think it should stop. The reass...
Hi Sarah, in terms of management it sounds like you are doing everything right! The amount of urine children produce overnight is quite variable. ...
Hi V.S. – It is not unusual for children to waiver between periods of dryness and wetting as they move toward achieving permanent nighttime conti...
Hi Charlene, the time it takes between achieving daytime control and nighttime continence is quite variable. Some children achieve this in a matte...
It is not uncommon for children your son’s age to still be wetting the bed on a regular basis; bedwetting is far more common among boys than gi...
Hi M.L – there are a number of possible reasons why children wet the bed. Some do so because their nervous system is slow to process the feeling...
Hi Nelly, nappy rash typically results from skin contact with a wet or dirty nappy. Mositure plus friction resulting from his DryNites moving again...
Waking or lifting children to the toilet during the night is typically seen as a practical approach to managing children’s bedwetting in the short-...
One of the best indicators that your son is moving toward achieving nighttime continence is an increase in the number of mornings he wakes up dry. ...
In must be incredibly frustrating and disheartening when you feel like you have tried it all and still your son continues to wet at night. While m...
Hi Danielle, it can be very frustrating when treatments do not result in the desired outcome! Nasal sprays are generally seen as a form of manageme...
Hi Emily, in the vast majority of cases children are completely unaware that they are wetting or have wet the bed. Unfortunately there are a lot ...
Hi Jacqueline, it is not particularly unusual for boys your son’s age to be still wetting the bed at night on a regular basis. However, given th...
Hi Alice, it is perfectly normal for your 4-year-old son to still be wetting the bed at night with many children continuing to do so right up to sc...
Hi Vanessa (and Jye) – I am so sorry to hear that your son was made to feel responsible for his bedwetting. As I am sure you are fully aware, chil...
Hi Rebecca – it was once common practice to encourage children who wet the bed at night to try and hold on to their ‘wees’ during the day, as thi...
Regardless of what other issues you have to deal with, coping with bedwetting can be incredibly testing and if not managed effectively can exacerba...
Hi Christine – managing children’s bedwetting can be incredibly challenging and this is partly due to the fact that we do not always know what is c...
Hi N. C. as challenging as this may be please be reassured this is perfectly normal behaviour for a 4-year-old boy. If you are at all concerned abo...
Hi B.H., unfortunately there are no simple answers when it comes to understanding children’s bedwetting. The most common causes of bedwetting incl...
Hi Rebecca - While stress can certainly be a contributing factor in secondary bedwetting it would be worthwhile having your son checked by his GP j...
Hi James - it is preferrable that you use the DryNites designed for boys as the aborbancy patterns differ and a change to girls DryNites may in fac...
Hi A. H., given the frequency of his wetting it is unlikely that he is ready to go to bed without the use of an absorbent pant of some other absorb...
Hi M. B., the way parents manage children’s bedwetting can often make or break a delicate situation. It really is a personal decision as to whether...
Hi R. M., please be reassured it is perfectly normal for your son to still be wetting the bed at night with many children (especially boys) conti...
It is not unusual for parents to comment on an increase in bedwetting during the winter months and then find their children stop wetting again ...
Hi S. B. – while you are correct in saying it is perfectly normal for a child your sons age to be still wetting at night if you are at all concerne...
Hi A.R., firstly, let me reassure you that it is not uncommon for 6-year-old boys to be still wetting at night, with some doctors suggesting it i...
It is not uncommon for children your son’s age to still be wetting the bed on a regular basis; bedwetting is far more common among boys than girls,...
Hi Helen – children generally become dry at night when their body has matured to the point where it can store the amount of urine their kidneys p...
Hi Y. J., bedwetting can be incredibly frustrating especially when there seems to be no obvious cause. As a parent, the most important thing is to...
Bedwetting can be incredibly challenging to manage, particularly when it occurs on a regular basis. There are a number of reasons as to why childre...
Hi Alison – the way parents manage children’s bedwetting can often make or break a delicate situation. The first thing you need to do is reassure ...
Hi Jacquelene, it is very unusual (but not unheard of) for children to wet the bed out of laziness. Developing nighttime continence is not dissimil...
Hi Michelle, your son’s wetting would be considered secondary nocturnal enuresis, which describes the condition where a child returns to nightt...
Dear Brooke, while it is not unusual for 5-year-olds to experience the occasional daytime accident it is probably worth having your son asses...
Hi Jane – as frustrating as this is, it really is a very encouraging sign that your son is moving toward achieving nighttime continence. While som...
Hi Aleisha – firstly, please be reassured that it is perfectly normal for a 5-year-old boy to still wet at night. If you are however concerned abo...
Hi Carina, this must be incredibly frustrating. Children’s nighttime urine output is quite variable. A small number of children who wet the bed do...
Hi Josie, it is not unusual for children who take longer to become dry at night to return to wetting at times of stress, sickness or when they be...
Hi Carmel, I had a search on the internet for you and the only sleeping bag liner that I could find was from a online store in the US, and unfo...
Children’s bedwetting can be incredibly challenging as often there appears to be no pattern or clear explanation for why it is occurring. What you...
Hi Georgie, sometimes there appears to be no rhyme or reason to children’s bedwetting, which can be incredibly frustrating! It is not particularly...
Hi Elisa, please be reassured it is perfectly normal for your son to still be wetting the bed at night with many children (especially boys) conti...
Hi Carrie, the age at which children achieve nighttime continence is quite variable with some children becoming dry as young as 3 years of age an...
Hi Katie, this not particularly unusual but frustrating nonetheless. I think what is most frustrating for parents in these situations, is there ap...
Given your son’s age and the potential impact his bedwetting can have on his social interactions – now is the time to look into introducing some fo...
While it is true that some children are able to outgrow bedwetting on their own, others do benefit from some form of treatment. When the bedwettin...
Hi Helen, while it is true that some children are able to outgrow bedwetting on their own, others do benefit from some form of treatment. When the...
Trying to manage our children’s bedwetting can be quite the juggling act. We try and hide our frustration and exhaustion at coping with the consta...
Hi K. C. – your daughter has very little control over her bladder while asleep, so while rewards can be very motivating during the day, they will d...
This is a very challenging situation. While you can certainly use reward systems to encourage her to drink regularly throughout the day, this is i...
Hi Dianne, one of the trickiest things for parents when it comes to managing our children’s bedwetting is ensuring that it does not impact advers...
Hi Delia, due to the underlying genetic link it is not unusual to find a number of children in the one family experiencing nighttime wetting. Whil...
Hi – there are a number of treatments available to help your daughter to become dry at night. While conditioning alarms experience the best outcom...
It can be incredibly frustrating when it seems like you’ve tried it all yet met with little success! While conditioning alarms continue to experien...
Dealing with bedwetting can be incredibly challenging and failure to respond to treatment only adds to our stress. If you have not done so already ...
Hi Fiona, the most frustrating thing about bedwetting is that there are so many potential underlying causes that it can be difficult to treat. T...
Even though it is our children who wet the bed, it’s often the parents who need the most support (and often don’t receive any!). Coping with bedwe...
DryNites work in much the same way as a nappy, and can hold both fecal matter and urine. Parents of older children with significant developmental d...
It can be very frustrating and disheartening when treatments do not result in the desired outcome! Nasal sprays are generally seen as a form of man...
While there is less scientific support for natural remedies, some parents and children have reported improvements in bedwetting following the use o...
Hi Ruth – it really sounds like you are doing all the right things. As I’m sure you are fully aware, the tricky and often frustrating thing about ...
Continence issues are often an indicator of stress in young children, which explains why your daughter returned to wetting during the day after you...
Hi Jenayah – while it’s great that your daughter is not upset by the fact that she wets at night, I see how frustrating this must be for you given ...
Hi Jack – first let me say what a wonderful thing you are doing. I have a number of colleagues who foster children and I understand how challe...
In can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening when you feel like you have tried it all and still your child continues to wet at night. While ...
It can be incredibly frustrating when it seems like you’ve tried it all yet met with little success! The best forms of treatment are conditionin...
Hi K.W. – the majority of children who wet the bed have nothing medically wrong with them. While doctors and researchers have been able to ident...
Hi Paula - Your first step is to meet with your GP just so he or she can run a few tests just to make sure your daughter’s nighttime wetting is not...
It’s great that you’ve been able to identify a pattern to your daughter’s nighttime wetting. From what you have written it appears that you daught...
Once upon a time parents used to be encouraged to carry their child to the toilet during the night to help avoid a wet bed. While waking or lifting...
Hi Emily – you are spot in describing waking or lifting as being an ineffective means of managing children’s bedwetting. Children who have achi...
Hi Cassie, given the frequency of your daughter’s bedwetting I would certainly recommend that you make an appointment to discuss this with your GP....
Hi Gina – firstly in the short-term I would recommend trying DryNites rather than Pull-Ups, these are specifically designed for nighttime use and a...
Hi H. C. – it can be incredibly frustrating when you feel you have given your all to a treatment and it still doesn’t result in a positive outcome....
Hi R. P., when bedwetting continues for many years it is completely understandable that children start to believe that it will never stop! Have yo...
Hi Antoinette, firstly, my apologies for the delay in responding … The most successful form of bedwetting treatment is the conditioning or bedwet...
Unfortunately while medications are helpful in the short-term they generally do not help children to achieve permanent nighttime continence. Abou...
Hi Claudia – given your concerns I would certainly recommend that you speak with your GP and organise a full physical examination which may inclu...
While research certainly shows links between deep sleeping patterns and bedwetting, it is not the primary cause of why it happens in the first plac...
Hi Monica, I am not familiar with this centre so am unable to advise whether or not to pursue this further. The underlying cause of children’s bed...
Bedwetting runs in families, which means that children who have parents who wet the bed, are much more likely to wet the bed themselves. The upsid...
Bedwetting can be incredibly distressing for children especially as they move toward the teenage years. Given her age and the negative impact th...
Hi D.T. - there are a number of causes to bedwetting and genetics certainly has a role to play. We typically say that if one parent wet the bed as...
DryNites fit like an underpant and can be worn comfortably under pyjamas or boxer shorts at night – some individuals choose to wear underpants over...
It is not unusual for teenagers to experience a return to bedwetting at times of stress or emotional upheaval. Although this may seem incredibly e...
Unfortunately I do not reside in Auckland. I would recommend that you contact the New Zealand Psychological Society (http://www.psychology.org.nz)...
Hi D.S – given your age and weight you need to look into purchasing a product designed for adults – it is important that these fit properly around ...
If you have outgrown the largest DryNites I would recommend that you look into some of the incontinence products designed for adults – you can pu...
It is not unusual for chldren who have been diagnosed with a small bladder capacity to experience nocturnal enuresis. This form of incontinence of...
Regular urination throughout the day can be a result of a number of different factors. The fact that he also wets through his DryNites at night m...
Hi Lisa, while it is certainly true that many children outgrow bedwetting on their own, this is not the case for everyone. The important thing to ...
Hi Rachael, firstly I would recommend trying DryNites rather than Pull-Ups, these are specifically designed for nighttime use and are much more abs...
Hi Natasha, parents of children who wet the bed often comment on how ‘heavy a sleeper’ their child is. Researchers have shown that while deep sleep...
Hi T.L – symptoms of Neuronal Intestinal Dysplasia (NID) can include constipation, abnormal sleeping patterns as well as incontinence of the bladde...
This must very challenging for you. In a very small percentage of cases bedwetting can extend right through to our adult years. The fact that y...
Hi Nikole – it can be incredibly frustrating when you continue to wet the bed at night despite a strong motivation to stop. It is unlikely that yo...
Hi Kerry, many children prefer to wear DryNites as it gives them confidence they need in order to go to sleep at night and reduces the anxiety asso...
Hi Vicki, in order for your daughter to become dry at night she either needs to learn to wake in response to a full-bladder or her bladder needs to...
Hi Louise, given your daughter was dry for over two years it would be a good idea to first have her checked by your GP just to make sure there is n...
Hi Natasha, you are not alone here with many parents experiencing similar patterns of nighttime wetting with their young children. It is quite c...
Firstly, let me reassure you that it is perfectly normal for children to continue to wet the bed at night up until around age 6 years. I generally ...
As I am sure you are aware, bedwetting has a number of different causes, with low hormone levels being just one possible factor. Without knowing...
Hi Cathy, it is not unusual for children your daughters age to still be wetting the bed at night with around 1 in 7 children continuing to do so by...
Dear R.M., that is wonderful to hear - thank you so much for sharing that with us! Regards, Dr Cathrine
Hi S.C. – as children move toward achieving permanent nighttime continence it is not unusual for them to waiver between periods of dryness than r...
Given his daytime wetting it is a very wise decision to have him checked by your GP. Your doctor will want to know things like how often he wets t...
One of the most common concerns for children who wet the bed is attending social events like school-camps. Their biggest fear typically revolves ar...
Hi Liezle – the frustrating and challenging part of bedwetting is that we often do not know what is causing it to occur – this also presents a numb...
Hi Razan – bedwetting treatments are generally not recommend for children under 6 years of age, this is largely due to the fact that it is consider...
It is not unusual for children your daughters age to still be wetting the bed at night with around 1 in 7 children continuing to do so by school-ag...
Hi Michelle - Happy New Year to you too! It can be incredibly frustrating for parents when you feel you have done all the right things and your chi...
Hi Y. S., it can be incredibly frustrating when you feel like you have tried it all and still your child continues to wet the bed at night. The fi...
Hi Dianna, it is not unusual for children with additional support needs to take a little longer to attain both daytime and nighttime continence. A...
Hi Tracey, this is certainly a challenging situation. While it is not unusual for young children to experience the occasional accident for months (...
Your son is experiencing secondary enuresis which occurs when a child has had proper control over their bladder during the night for a period of si...