Parents of the Shire (Woolooware), Bondi Junction and Cammeray - is your child still wetting the bed? Our pelvic health physio's can help.

 

Is Bed wetting normal?  

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Bed Wetting (nocturnal enuresis) is very common in children and is when a child who’s 5 years or older empties their bladder whilst asleep. Bedwetting can happen every night or every so often.  

Children often gain control by 5 years of age, however, almost 1 in 10 children in Australia aged 6-7 years will still wet the bed. So, you and your child are not alone! Bed wetting is much more common than most people realise.  

It is not known why, but bed wetting is more common in boys than girls. Bed wetting also tends to run in families. Most children that experience bed wetting will have siblings, parents or grandparents who have also experienced the same problem. 

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Why does your child wet the bed?  

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Bed wetting is not a psychiatric disorder and children don’t deliberately wet the bed. It is not because they are being lazy or naughty, so they shouldn’t ever be punished for bed wetting.  

There are three main reasons that your child may wet the bed at night:  

1. They produce too much urine at night (nocturnal polyuria).  

​​2. They are a very deep sleeper & don’t wake even when their bladder sends a signal it’s full.  

3. Their bladder is overactive & can’t store enough urine at night.   

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What other factors can lead to bedwetting?  

• Constipation – If you child is constipated and has bowel that is full of hard poo, it places extra pressure on the bladder & can contribute to bed wetting.  

• Urinary tract infections – Is your child also experiencing a fever or pain when they wee? Or are they also experiencing bladder symptoms during the day? If they are, a GP review is recommended for further investigation.  

• Type 1 diabetes – Is your childs bedwetting accompanied by weight loss, tiredness, feeling very thirsty and needing to wee more than usual? If they are, a GP review is recommended for further investigation.  

 

Primary bed wetting is when your child has never been reliably dry at night.  

Secondary bed wetting is when your child has been dry for at least 6months, and then all of a sudden starts bed wetting again. This can be caused by stressful events or change in a childs life, but it’s worth checking with your GP to rule out any underlying causes.   

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Can bed wetting be treated? And can physiotherapy help?  Yes! We have a physio for you in the Shire (Woolooware) and Cammeray.

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We generally see children from around 6 years of age for bedwetting. However, we will see them as young as 5 years if the bedwetting is upsetting them, they are wetting more after starting school or they have secondary bed wetting.  

It can hugely impact a childs self-esteem and emotional wellbeing, as well as being stressful for the whole family. But – you can get help!!  We see children for bedwetting at our clinics in the Shire (Woolooware) and Cammeray.  

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You can find out more about our assessment and treatment options on our website. https://www.physiotherapyclinic.com.au/kids-continence