Hi Pamela – it is not unusual for children diagnosed with ADHD to take a little longer to achieve nighttime wetting than other children however this does not really account for why he was dry for at least 12 months then started wetting again. Secondary nocturnal enuresis (where children experience a return to bedwetting after a significant period of nighttime continence) can be the result of an underlying medical issue or psychological maladjustment usually in response to stress or anxiety. The first thing to do is make an appointment with your GP or pediatrician to rule out any physical cause. Starting school or preschool can be an incredibly stressful time for children so it is not uncommon for parents to find that their children start wetting the bed at night again at this time. Often the bedwetting subsides when children feel more comfortable and confident in their new surroundings however this is not always the case. If secondary bedwetting continues, as is the case for your son, then you need to consider the same treatment options as for primary bedwetting. Conditioning alarms are typically your best option however you would need to discuss this with you doctor as they may need to develop a conditioning program that better suits your sons needs. While there is less scientific support for natural remedies, some parents and children have reported improvements in bedwetting following the use of natural remedies. Some children who wet the bed may benefit from restricting certain foods from their diet. Diet-control has also been used in the management of ADHD so this may certainly be something worth looking into. There are a number of ways you can try and determine whether food intolerances are contributing to his bedwetting. The easiest (and safest) approach would be to visit a Naturopath. They may recommend you begin an elimination diet, which involves removing all foods from his diet that could be affecting his bedwetting and then you carefully reintroduce the foods, one at a time. It is important to remember, each child is unique and what works for one does not necessarily work for all.

Regards,
Dr Cathrine

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