Causes Of Bedwetting

Bedwetting, medically known as nocturnal enuresis, is a common situation among children up to 5-6 years. The problem ceases to exist as the child grows beyond that age. However, it is when bedwetting continues to exist even after the child is mature enough to remain dry in bed that it turns into a problem. It is not necessary that a child urinates in bed because he/she drinks excess water before going to bed or has some behavioral problems. Rather, bedwetting is mostly seen as a delay in the normal development of child, which can lead to a feeling of shame and embarrassment in the child. In such a situation, it is necessary for the parents to understand the causes behind bedwetting and take appropriate measures to correct the same. This article explores the reasons of bedwetting in children and gives an insight into the problem. 

 

Bedwetting is commonly seen among kids whose parents also suffered from the same problem in their childhood. It is true that if the parents did not have nocturnal enuresis, there is a high chance that the child will also not wet the bed. However, the statement cannot be said to be conclusive. To quite an extent, bedwetting is an inherited habit. Still, it can result from other factors as well. In other words, we can say that hereditary factors can prove to be one of the major reasons behind bedwetting, though not the only one.

 

In many cases, the causes of bedwetting may be neurological in nature. Due to a delay in the development process, the child may keep on wetting the bed till a long time. This is because slow pace of development also hinders the ability to control the bladder movement or remain dry, leading to bedwetting among children. Occasionally, the problem is also witnessed in teenagers. However, severe development problems in children can worsen the problem. Handicapped and mentally retarded children have a higher bedwetting rate than normal children, according to some scientific studies.

 

Psychological reasons generally account for a return to bedwetting habit among children. Fear psychosis, bullying, death of a loved one, stress due to frequent change in staying locations, separation or divorce of parents and insecurities are some of the reason that can also result in the return of the habit of bedwetting, a child had got rid of long ago. In fact, it is seen that a lot of children who are physically healthy wet the bed due to psychological pressures.

 

Though many people are unaware of this, deep sleep in children is yet another reason that leads to bedwetting. As the child grows up and becomes mature, the sleep becomes lighter and he/she gets more control over his body, in turn getting rid of bedwetting as well.

 

A small bladder doesn’t hold the urine for a longer duration, in effect causing bedwetting. Abnormalities in the spinal chord can also result in this problem. Deficiency in anti-diuretic hormone also leads to excess urine production. Abnormality in the urethral valves in boys can be another reason to account for bedwetting.