Childhood bedwetting is a condition wherein a child may not be able to control urination especially when at sleep, resulting in wetting the bed with urine. Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is a common problem among kids that usually disappears as they develop and grow. But the condition can sometimes have psychological and emotional effects on many children.

Causes of childhood bedwetting

There are various reasons why kids wet their beds and not be able to control them even in their sleep. Knowing the reasons can help parents help their kids understand the condition more. Various factors usually contribute to bedwetting in children.

Bladder Issues

Children may have too small a bladder to contain their urine that develops when they sleep. The full bladder can have children unable to control their urine during sleep resulting in bedwetting. There are also times when the bladder may not yet be functioning well enough in order to contain the urine during sleep.

There are also times when the development of the bladder may be taking longer than usual, especially when it comes to the signals sent from the brain to the bladder and vice versa. Eventually the brain and bladder communication improves with age enabling children to develop better bladder control. A full bowel may also cause the bladder to lose control, which can happen to children as well as adults.

Hormonal Imbalance

There are certain situations that a child's bedwetting may be caused by a hormonal imbalance in the body. A type of hormone known as anti-diuretic hormone, or ADH, is produced by the body in order to slow down urine production during nighttime when the body is at rest. In some children, the body may not be producing enough of the said hormone during sleep which leads them to produce more urine, leading to bedwetting.

Stress

Stress can also contribute to bedwetting in kids. Sometimes there are certain events that can cause stress in children such as their first day at school or leaving home for the first time that may lead to bedwetting.

Sleep Disorders

There are times when children experience bedwetting due to sleep problems or disorders. Sleep apnea, a condition where breathing is interrupted during sleep, may cause bedwetting. Kids who are also known to be deep sleepers may also experience bedwetting.