Daughter Wetting the Bed (After 1+ Years of Virtually No Accidents)

Dear J.,

My daughter is exactly the same age and went through the same thing. I had some suggestions about allergies but even when we changed her diet, she still had the same problem. The thing is that as mysteriously as it started happening, she suddenly started waking up on her own and going to the bathroom at night, then she stopped having having to go in the middle in the night or having any accidents. I almost took her to the pediatrician but everything went away on it's own...
I.

The same thing happened to me when I was her age. My parents thought I was just jealous because of my little sister being born, but I wet the bed until I was 16. It may be medical. Just because she has good bladder control during the day does not mean it isn't medical. I just found out (2 years ago) that I have one kidney that is significantly smaller than the other. My kidney function is fine, but my doctor (a specialist) said that was probably why I wet the bed so long. Have everything checked out and in the mean time, buy the child some pull ups for night time and don't sweat it.

I was the same way - and so was my niece. We both finally grew out of it...;-)... My sister-in-law used to say that she was afraid that my niece would have to wear Depends at her wedding. Part of our problem was that we would sleep so soundly that we just didn't wake-up when nature called. I remember Mom putting diapers on me at night when I was 5. Get some Pull-ups and don't make it a big deal. She'll have enough trauma when she gets older.

The same thing has happened to my girls (ages 4 and 6) a couple times over the last few years.

Sometimes, I think it's growth spurt-related. They seem to sleep a lot more deeply during a growth spurt, so they don't wake up when they have that urge to use the bathroom.

Other times, I realize that we've gotten busy with other things, and they're not drinking enough early in the day, so they aren't using the bathroom as much during the day. Then, they'd drink more in the evening and have to pee at night. When I upped their fluid intake in the morning and at lunch, their bodies adjusted, and they didn't have to go at night so much anymore.

One more thought -- has your daughter's sleep schedule changed? Did she drop a nap? Is she waking earlier in the morning? Has she been really busy with other activities these past couple weeks that have messed with her sleep? When kids are overtired, they often sleep more deeply, too, and don't wake at night to use the bathroom. Sometimes, one of my girls will have an accident a day or two after a vacation or something when they haven't slept on their normal schedule.

Hopefully, something there will help you. If it doesn't pass soon, it may be something medical, so it couldn't hurt to talk to her doctor.

It wouldn't hurt to have her checked out by the doctor and possibly by a peditric urologist but I also want to share my story with you.

My daughter is almost 9 years old. She was completely potty trained--night and day--before she was 3. About a year or so after successful training, she suddenly started wetting at night every night. I had her evaluated by the pediatrician and the urologist and all physical and functional parts were perfectly normal. She was also in counciling for other issues and with the help of the therapist we decided that the culmination of her dad and I splitting up and my having a new baby contributed to her "backpeddling." She has just recently started staying dry at night (within the last 3 months) but is still not consistant with it.

I would absolutely have her examined physically, but at the same time, take inventory of what has happened in your/her life recently because it could very well be caused by emotional stress.

Hi J., I personally feel your pain and your daughters. My mother took me to two different doctors and one gave me meds to wake me up in the middle of the night which they made me feel like I had bugs crawling all over me. The next one told mother to make me wash my sheets out by hand and hang them on the line to embarrasse me neither worked. I found out much later that my body as well as many other children had a slower maturing bladder. On Christmas Eve when I was (18) years old was my last time I wet the bed. I prayed and prayed it would happen as I was married the following Nov. 1959. Hope it doesn't take that long for your daughter but whatever the age it is devasting to everyone. Good Luck.

It actually could be medical. She may be lacking the hormone that we have at night that keeps us from having to go to the bathroom. My nephew takes medicine to help with this. I believe my sis in law said it is eventually something he will grow out of. The medicine has helped..and he is fine and has bladder control during the day but just doesn't produce enough of the certain hormone to keep him from going at night. Might talk to your dr if it continues.

Some kids are deep sleepers and cannot wake themselves when they need to go. Their bladders also have not grown enough to retain all the fluids. I would not get too concerned unless you have other symptoms that go along with it. At your next dr visit mention it. My son is 11 and still has accidents at night occasionally. I do what you are doing before bedtime and we just check in the morning and give him a quick bath in the am. I have spoken to the dr and he has given me a prescription for meds but I don't like giving kids medicine for something like that unless it is totally necessary. I try not to make a big deal about it. I expect he'll outgrow it at some point. My nephew also had problems with it and eventually outgrew it.

Hi, J.,

Is she going to the bathroom more often during the day? The time that she is sleeping is a lot longer than she would go without urinating during the day, and if she is asleep, she is not fully conscious of her body's need to eliminate.

My friend went through this and her daughter was extremely constipated, which put alot of pressure on her bladder.

Hi J.,
You've had a lot of good advice so far; I just have one thing to add. Is your daughter undergoing some stress recently? My son was pretty much potty trained at night, but the two weeks before kindergarten started, he was wetting the bed at night, and having both pee and poo accidents in his underwear during the day. But after he visited his class things got a bit better and then after classes started in full, things got back to normal again (not wetting the bed and only an occasional bit of poo on the underwear - he's almost 4). So I chalk the whole thing up to stress and nerves. If you are about to undergo some change in your family or routine, she just might be feeling anxious and it's showing in her bladder function. Just a thought.
Best wishes to you as you figure things out.
J. (mother of 7 yo girl and almost 4 yo boy)

My son did the same thing. Since he had an older sister who had enuresis, I wasn't worried and figured I got lucky, and he would outgrow it. It also was about when his dad started getting really sick, so didn't know if that had anything to do with it. Anyway, he is now 7 and has the occasional wet night, usually about 2 times/ month.
Good luck.
R.

Has your daughter just had a big growth spurt? I believe the bladder grows slower than the rest of the body. I always knew my son was in a big growth spurt when he'd have an accident in bed. He's been dry since 2.5 so it's always a big surprise.