Flourish eMag Dec 24 - final - Flipbook - Page 45
What causes it?
BY SLEEP HEALTH FOUNDATION
How common
is bedwetting?
Bedwe琀�ng is very
common! Most
children need to
wear a nappy or
protec琀椀ve pants
at night to avoid
we琀�ng the bed
un琀椀l they are at
least 昀椀ve years
old. At four years
of age, nearly one
in three children
wet the bed, which
reduces to about
one in 10 by age
six. Some teenagers
may s琀椀ll experience
bedwe琀�ng,
especially if a parent
or close family
member did at the
same age.
There are several causes of bedwe琀�ng (also known as
enuresis), though not all are fully understood.
• Deep Sleep: Some children sleep so deeply that they don’t
wake up in 琀椀me to use the toilet.
• Smaller Bladders: Some children have smaller bladders
that cannot hold much urine overnight.
• Hormonal Factors: Certain children don’t produce enough
An琀椀-Diure琀椀c Hormone (ADH), which helps to concentrate
urine overnight. A lack of ADH results in more dilute urine,
increasing the likelihood of bedwe琀�ng.
• Cons琀椀pa琀椀on: Children with cons琀椀pa琀椀on may have issues
with bedwe琀�ng and may also experience day琀椀me
we琀�ng.
• Gene琀椀cs: Bedwe琀�ng can run in families, although
the speci昀椀c gene responsible has yet to be iden琀椀昀椀ed.
• Underlying Medical Condi琀椀ons: Although rare,
bedwe琀�ng can some琀椀mes be caused
by an underlying medical issue, so
it’s essen琀椀al to have your child
checked by a doctor before
star琀椀ng any treatment.
Bedwe琀�ng is not due to
behavioural problems, so never
scold or punish a child for we琀�ng
the bed. They are asleep when it
happens and cannot control it.
