Dr Catherine
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Girl
4-7 years

Children’s overnight urine output can be quite variable; however a significant increase in bedwetting can be incredibly distressing for the parent and the child. It is not unusual as children move toward achieving permanent nighttime continence to waiver between periods where they wet very little (or not at all) then return to consistent wetting patterns. You can try and reduce her urine output by making sure she fully empties her bladder just before she goes to sleep and by limiting drinks high in sugar as well as the amount of dairy and citrus she drinks in the evening as these are known to stimulate the kidneys. You can also encourage healthy bladder habits by making sure she drinks water regularly throughout the day (about 1 litre at his age). th respect to the waking/lifting, this is typically seen as a practical approach to managing children’s bedwetting in the short-term only but does little to help them to become dry on their own. Lifting at night means children do not get the chance to get used to the signals that the bladder sends to the brain telling them to wake-up and empty their bladder nor does the bladder have the opportunity to stretch and develop. If you are at all concerned about the increase in her urine output then you should ask to be referred to a pediatrician who specializes in children’s continence issues. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding; I have been unwell and unable to answer questions during this time. Regards, Dr Cathrine