Bedwetting is an act in which the child involuntarily urinates during their sleep. Medically referred to as Nocturnal enuresis, bedwetting is a habit disorder. This is primarily of two types: primary enuresis, where the patient has never had dry nights, and secondary enuresis, which occurs after a gap of 6 months. It is a widespread problem with children. Boys are more likely to have this problem than girls.
Once a child is 2 years old, he gets control of urine passage during the day. It takes another year for him to gain complete control of the whole night. Enuresis is of 2 types, the first being primary, where the kid never gets control over the urine passage at any stage. In secondary enuresis, the child gains power initially but loses it after a certain period. You should be reassured about this problem when he reaches 4-5 years. Even a child with perfect control of urine passage might wet the bed occasionally. For some, it goes till the teenage years, when parents get worried.
Home Remedies for Bed Wetting
#1 Habbit
Always remind your child to use the bathroom just before going to bed. This is a good habit and could ease the problem in many cases.
#2 Fluid Intake
Be very careful about your child’s drinking habits. Limit the quantity of the child’s fluid intake, especially before bed. Please do not overdo it by taking fewer fluids in summer or hot seasons, as the concentrated urine could decrease bladder control and could further aggravate the problem instead of eliminating it. Also, avoid those drinks containing caffeine, as it increases the urine flow.
#3 Diet
Maintain a healthy diet. Let him consume healthy and natural food that contains a high proportion of silica, magnesium, and calcium. The sources of these nutrients are bananas, sesame, and almonds.
#4 Protein and Fiber
Feed him lots of leafy and green vegetables. Brown rice, as a protein-rich diet, is often effective in combatting this problem. Let him eat fiber-rich food to avoid constipation, which is one of the primary causes of this problem.
#5 Stress
Yes, you heard it right. Children also get stressed due to the daily activities and study pressure. Some of the primary causes of stress might be –
- Excessive school work
- Parents pressure to do well in studies
- Fights within the family
- Lack of outdoor games
- Abuse either in school or home
Give your child a loving family and try to listen to his problems. Let him play outdoor games and accompany him to parks.
#6 Reward
Reward your child when he can accomplish a dry night. Remember not to scold him if he is unsuccessful but rather motivate him.
#7 Herbs
Bedwetting can also be cured using causticum, lycopodium, ursi, corn silk, and pulsatilla. These herbs are effective Ayurvedic remedies for the problem.
#8 Walnut and Raisins
Give him 2 teaspoonfuls of walnut halves and 1 teaspoonful of raisin before bed. It has been found that these food items, if taken before going to bed, help eliminate the problem. Continue with this remedy with the other methods for effective results.
#9 Herbal Tea
Herbal tea is also the best medicine for curing this problem, especially in teens. Give herbal tea made of herbs like oak bark, horsetail, wormwood, and bearberry to teens a minimum of 2 times a day.
#10 Bladder Training
Once a day, ask your child to hold their urine for a few minutes and then gradually increase the time limit. This remedy should not be used for kids but more for teens.
Causes of Bed Wetting
- Bed wetting occurs due to the immature nervous system of the child
- Bedwetting is due to the smaller size of the bladder. Due to its small size, the bladder cannot hold the urine produced at night.
- It can be due to a defective urinary system
- The problem can occur due to constipation problem
- Bed wetting can be due to urinary tract infection
- Diabetic patients have a problem of bed wetting.
- This can also be due to sickle-cell anemia in rare cases
- The problem is common among people who have Epilepsy
- Wetting can be due to spinal cord abnormalities
- Genetical factors and hormonal factors can cause bedwetting.
- Very deep sleepers are prone to this problem
Symptoms of Bedwetting
- A child of 6-7 years of age who has never stayed dry overnight.
- Cloudy pinkish urine
- The child has a burning sensation while urinating.
- Unusual symptoms like straining to dribble while urinating.
- The child also usually has a problem of constipation.
5 Comments
One of the very inexpensive home remedies for bedwetting is that whenever you feel like urinating, try to hold it by tightening the muscles around your bladder for a few seconds, gradually increasing this time to a few minutes. This will give you greater bladder control. Another good natural cure is that you can chew on a stick of cinnamon bark anytime during the day. It helps strengthen the bladder and have greater control over passing urine.
You can make tea using herbs like wormwood, horsetail, bear-berry or oak bark and have this regularly. It helps improving the bedwetting. Another great treatment method for bedwetting is that you can have a small spoon of raisins along with two small spoons of walnut halves before going to bed. It is known to prevent bed-wetting.
what would be the cause for an average 18yr old male to be wetting the bed in the middle of the night?? could it be due to a small bladder??
Bed wetting problem is very embarrassing both for grown up kids and adults. I know about a person who cured his grown up child out of bedwetting with natural remedies. You can have about eight ounces of cranberry juice everyday about an hour before you go to sleep. It helps stop this problem with regular use. Use St. John’s Wort oil to massage the inner thighs just before going to bed. It helps strengthen muscles around the bladder and have better control over the bladder.
Eating parsley and cinnamon bark can be beneficial in preventing bed wetting. Kids should be encouraged to use toilet prior to going to the bed. They should not be scolded if they fail to do so initially. They should be taught some signs to signal when they experience full bladder. They should not be given any liquid to drink before bed time. Water proof covers can be placed on the bed sheet which prevents the cloth from getting wet.