Q: What is the cure for bed-wetting at age 13?

A: Hello. Thanks for writing in. Bedwetting is a huge challenge in childhood!

Bedwetting is usually due to an increase in the amount of urine usually contained in the bladder, an over-reactive bladder or small bladder or it may be due to a heavy sleeper who does not get or respond to the urge to void when he/she gets that urge while asleep. In childhood, ensuring the child urinates just before he goes to bed, limiting the amount of fluid he takes in the evening (some studies have shown no significant improvement with this strategy), encouraging the child to use the bathroom regularly during the day or using bedwetting alarms may help a child get through this period. A bedwetting alarm is an under-pant with a sensor clipped in. The sensor ‘senses’ (obviously :D) urine once a drop falls on the panty and thus triggers the alarm. The alarm ‘hopefully’ wakes up the child who then goes to the bathroom. In other cases, a drug may be used for over-reactive bladders. If a child had previously stopped bedwetting and starts up again, it may be due to emotional issues like having to cope with a new sibling, changing schools, moving houses etc. You may want to have a chat and find out what’s going on.

Remember that screaming at the child and embarrassing him in front of other people is not helpful. In fact, it is counter-productive as the child becomes unco-operative. Trust me…every child who bed-wets hates it and is absolutely embarrassed by it. And by the way, as a parent, consider that bedwetting appears to run in families and so your child is only exhibiting what he’s been given 😀 So, give the young man or woman a break!

Now, other causes of bedwetting which include Diabetes Mellitus, urinary tract infections, abnormalities of the urinary tract etc. can also lead to night bedwetting (known as nocturnal enuresis)/ He/she has to be checked out in the hospital so that a proper diagnosis can be made.

For more on this topic, please click on this link https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/11/24/daily-health-tip-adult-bed-wetting/

Have a great night, people 😀