Is Bedwetting A Sign of Stress

Is Bedwetting a Sign of Stress?  

If your child is wetting the bed regularly, you are likely to have concerns about their physical and mental health. While it is not uncommon for a child to wet their bed during their early development, there are often underlying causes that lead older children and adolescents to experience bedwetting. Determining whether or not your child’s bedwetting is a sign of stress is possible by taking the time to assess and evaluate the situation.

How Common is Bedwetting in Children?

Bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis, is not an uncommon experience for most children, especially younger children under the age of 5. Approximately 20% of children have experienced some form or another of bedwetting by age 5. Up to 10% of children still experience bedwetting until age 7, and even fewer teens may also wet the bed from time to time. It is also important to note that bedwetting is typically anywhere from 2 to 3 times more prevalent in boys than it is in girls.

What Types of Bedwetting Exist?

There are two official types of bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, including:

• Primary: Primary enuresis is defined as an ongoing loss of bladder control or function, typically in younger toddlers and children. The primary enuresis label is used for children who have not yet learned to use the potty or for those who have never obtained proper control of their bladders.
• Secondary: Secondary enuresis is when a child has had actual bladder control for 6 months or longer in the past but is now unable or unwilling to maintain control.

Common Causes of Bedwetting

Before you make up your mind about the cause of your child’s bedwetting, it’s important to brush up on your own understanding of bedwetting. Some of the most common causes of bedwetting in a child or adolescent are:

• Bladder control: Your child’s bladder may simply be filling up too quickly and may not have enough space to hold urine for an extended period of time.
• Neurological: Brain configurations may make it difficult for your child to wake up during the night, or underlying struggles and anxieties may also trigger nocturnal enuresis.
• Kidney: In rare instances, your child’s kidneys may be working overtime or there may be trouble with the kidneys, especially if your child is producing much more urine than the average child of their age.

Could Your Child’s Bedwetting Be a Sign of Stress?

Yes. Bedwetting can be a sign of stress, anxiety, or even another subconscious struggle your child is experiencing. Some of the causes, as well as the risk factors that are most associated with children and adolescents who experience bedwetting, include:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• ADHD
• Bowel issues such as constipation and/or diarrhea
• Overactive bladder
• Lack of good sleep
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Urinary tract infection
• Urinary tract structural issues
• Smaller bladder
• Lack of hormones (ADH)

If you’re unsure of whether your child is stressed out, observe their daily behaviors and body language. Have they tried to tell you about something recently, but you were unable to hear them? Do they seem more anxious and upset than usual? If so, your child may be experiencing a highly stressful situation in their lives, causing them to overthink and, in some cases, even wet the bed.

If your child has always struggled with wetting the bed and has not yet learned to properly use the bathroom during the night, they more than likely have primary nocturnal enuresis.

How to Speak to Your Child About Their Bedwetting Struggles

Talking to your child about their bedwetting struggles may seem daunting and even humiliating for both you and your child. However, it is important to normalize healthy conversations about the body, even when it comes to incidents that are not pleasant. Knowing how and when to talk to your child about their bedwetting is key to working together to find a solution.

Once you make the decision to speak to your child about their bedwetting struggles, use the following tips:

• Choose the right time and place: Pick a time to speak to your child that allows you both to remain relaxed and in good spirits. Avoid confronting your child about bedwetting in front of other siblings or friends.
• Stay calm: Always remain calm when speaking to your child about any issue that may bring them shame. Use a calm and relaxed voice to address the situation without attaching your own feelings or response to your child’s bedwetting.
• Do not scold or yell: Never scold your child or yell at them for wetting the bed, as these incidents are rarely their fault.
• Provide your child with solutions: Offer solutions for your child and pledge to work with them through their bedwetting to offer the reassurance they need to move forward confidently.

What Can You Do to Stop Bedwetting?

The first step in stopping the problem is to identify and address specific triggers and potential underlying causes that may lead your child to wet the bed.

Eliminate external stressors and ensure your child’s mental and emotional wellbeing is balanced. Set a time each night when your child should stop eating and drinking. Keep a food log to determine if certain foods and drinks are leading triggers for your child’s bladder incidents.

Invest in a bedwetting alarm system to help prevent your child from wetting the bed while also developing better nighttime bathroom habits. Using sensor technology, these products immediately alert your child as soon as they begin to wet the bed to prevent major accidents. 

With any bedwetting situation, it is always best to speak to your child’s practicing physician or pediatrician before choosing a solution and route that is best for you and your family.

Whether your child is stressed, struggling physically, or simply growing, it’s important to know what to look for if they begin wetting the bed. Knowledge of bedwetting and its causes can help you to feel more confident in providing your child with the guidance and help they need whenever they wet the bed.  

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