While research certainly shows links between deep sleeping patterns and bedwetting, it is not the primary cause of why it happens in the first place. Children who are particularly deep sleepers are more likely to wet the bed because they fail to wake in response to the message sent by the bladder to the brain saying it is full and requires emptying. The bladder then attempts to either store the urine or it empties while your child sleeps. Children who have achieved nighttime continence are either able to wake-up independently in response to a full-bladder or have developed the bladder capacity to store urine until morning. Given your daughter’s age I would certainly recommend making an appointment to have her assessed by your GP. Your doctor is most likely to recommend a conditioning alarm which may be particularly challenging at first given her deep sleeping patterns so it is essenrtial that you receive proper support in instigating the program in order to maximize your chances of success. Some alarms have different settings that allow you to vary the sound – sometimes a louder alarm will raise a particularly deep sleeper. Others include a vibration option, which your daughter may respond to more easily. It’s always a good idea to practice during the day first (droping some liquid onto the sensor) so your daughter can become more accustomed to the sound of the alarm. Clearly your daugter’s positive attitude to her bedwetting is a testament to how well it has been managed so just keep doing what you’ve been doing!

Regards,
Dr Cathrine

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