Information about the symptoms of bedwetting can be very misleading and very confusing. In reality, the only “symptom of bedwetting” is a wet bed. Bed wetting is not a disease. Therefore, it is not something that can be broken down into symptoms and diagnosed. Bed wetting is a condition that many children live with on a daily basis. According to www.goodnites.com, 20% of four to twelve year olds wet the bed. It is more common in boys than in girls. But don’t give up hope, 72% of bedwetting children will have stopped by the age of 11, and 99% by the age of 15.
There are signs and symptoms of bed wetting that you can use to determine how to help your child. First, you should know that before the age of six or seven most experts don’t consider a child who wets at night to be a bedwetting child. According to doctors on goodnites.com, for the bedwetting itself to be a symptom, it must occur after that age. Many children under the age of five have simply not developed a bladder large enough to hold their urine through the night.
One of the main symptoms of bedwetting children is having parents who also wet the bed. If one parent wet the bed as a child, the child is 40% more likely to wet the bed. If both parents wet the bed as children, the child is 70% more likely to wet the bed. Please understand that this does not place the “blame” of bedwetting on the parent. Bedwetting is a normal part of life for many children and should not be a cause of shame or casting blame.
Here are some symptoms of bedwetting that should not be ignored:
1. If your child has not been a bed wetter in the past, and has suddenly begun to wet the bed, this is called secondary bedwetting. It is not uncommon, but it is important to contact your physician to attempt to determine the cause of the bedwetting.
2. If your child urinates overly frequently during the day and never has a dry night, your child will need to see their pediatrician, as frequent urination is a symptom of diabetes. Even more consideration should be given if there is a history of diabetes in your family.
3. Pink or off-color urine. This can be a symptom of blood in the urine and it should be tested right away.
4. Overly strong smelling urine. In the case of an overly strong smell in your child’s urine, they should be seen by a pediatrician.
5. Painful urination, pain in the abdomen or back. All of these can be symptoms of a bladder and or kidney infection. Your child will need to be seen by a pediatrician to be given antibiotics to clear up the infection.
The most important symptom of bedwetting for parents to deal with is the embarrassment your child may feel as the bedwetting continues. The only cure for this symptom is kindness and patience.
