There are a number of possible contributing factors at play here. Firstly, there is a much higher incidence of bedwetting among children with autism. Similarly, the incidence of bedwetting in children with ADHD is also about two to three times higher than for other children. Children with ADHD are also more likely to experience sleep problems and have difficulty waking up to go to the bathroom when their bladder is full. The risk of suffering from bedwetting also increases for children who have a family member who also wet their bed, such as a parent or sibling. A neurological-developmental delay has been linked with continued nighttime wetting. Children whose nervous systems are still forming (which may be the case for children with autism or ADHD) may be slower to process the feeling of a full bladder and therefore do not wake up in time to relieve themselves. For these children, the bedwetting often stops once their bodies have developed to a point where they are able to detect the signs sent from their bladder to their brain saying it is full and needs emptying. If you have not already done so I would recommend that you make an appointment with your GP to discuss treatment options as these can differ from those recommended for children without autism.

Regards,
Dr Cathrine

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