Bedwetting in Older Children
Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is a common problem that affects about 5 million American children, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. It is most common in young children, but older children also can struggle with bedwetting.
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Statistics
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According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, 15 percent to 25 percent of 5-year-olds wet the bed. Eight percent of boys and 4 percent of girls are still bedwetters at 12 years of age, and 1 percent to 3 percent of teenagers wet the bed.
Causes
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Older children who wet the bed do not wake up when their bladder needs to be emptied. Bedwetting tends to run in families. Rarely, a physical problem may cause bedwetting.
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Treatment
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Children should use the bathroom before going to bed. You can use bedwetting alarms to wake a child when he begins to urinate. The child's doctor even may prescribe medications to treat bedwetting.
Emotional Support
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You should not punish, blame or shame children for wetting the bed, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Warning
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Seek medical attention if your child has painful urination, fever or blood in her urine.
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