Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is a common problem affecting 5 million children and at least 2 percent of the adult population, according to the National Association for Continence. As many as 20 percent of children wet the bed at the age of 5, a number that drops to 12 percent by age 6 and to 3 percent by age 12. Among children, bedwetting is much more common in boys than in girls, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Many cases of bedwetting resolve on their own, especially in children, but for persistent cases, treatment options can address the various causes of bedwetting in both children and adults.
Restrict Fluids
For children, particularly, cutting back on the amount of liquid before bedtime is helpful. But be careful not to make it seem like you're withholding liquids as a penalty, "If parents choose this option, it is important not to severely restrict the child's fluid intake because children may view this as a punishment, and it can lead to hostility within the family," advises the National Association for Continence. Check with your doctor, but according to the Mayo Clinic, 8 oz. of liquid is generally enough for a child in the evenings.
Avoid Caffeine in the Evening
According to both the Mayo Clinic and the National Association for Continence, skipping caffeine-laden beverages such as soda and coffee can cut down on both pediatric and adult bedwetting. Snacks that contain caffeine, including chocolate, should also be avoided. For adults, avoiding alcoholic beverages can also help.
For Children, Urinate Regularly
Encourage your child to urinate at least once every two hours, which will help void her bladder more frequently, eliminating buildup that can be released at night. The point, according to the Mayo Clinic, is to prevent your children from feeling a sense of urgency.
For Adults, Train Your Bladder
The National Association for Continence recommends bladder volume training for adults, a technique in which adults drink as much fluid as possible during the day and try to refrain from voiding for as long as possible. "Through training, the functional bladder capacity is increased, making voids more infrequent," according to the association. "This method may be especially helpful to those with diagnosed detrusor overactivity, a condition in which the muscles of the bladder contract frequently and involuntarily."
Wake at Night
Parents should get young bedwetters up a few hours after they go to sleep for a quick trip to the bathroom. According to the National Association for Continence, the children often barely wake up, and it's almost as if parents are helping them sleepwalk to the toilet. For adults, setting an alarm to randomly go off once a night doesn't cure the problem, but it can prevent a wet bed by allowing you to void your bladder before a wet bed occurs. The association stresses that the alarm should be set to a different, random time each night, though, to prevent your body from getting on a schedule where urination is expected at a certain time each night.
Set a Bedwetting Alarm
Alarms that go off as soon as an accident begins can be purchased at drugstores and used for both adults and children. The alarm will wake you up and allow you to finish urinating in the bathroom. Eventually, the hope is that the body will grow conditioned to wake up when the urge to urinate hits, before an alarm goes off. "The enuresis alarm is the most effective treatment for bedwetting with cure rates approaching 75%," according to the National Association for Continence.
Be patient, though. "It often takes at least two weeks to see any type of response and up to 12 weeks to enjoy dry nights," according to the Mayo Clinic. "Moisture alarms are highly effective, carry a low risk of relapse or side effects, and may provide a better long-term solution than medication does."
Use Medication
Medication should be a last resort, but there are several medicinal ways to address bedwetting in children and adults. Talk to your doctor about the best options for you or your child. Options include desmopressin acetate, which boosts levels of a hormone that restricts the body's urine output, but it can be detrimental to take if you've had a lot to drink before bedtime or if you're experiencing a headache or nausea, according to the Mayo Clinic. "Studies have also shown that this treatment is more successful when the drug is slowly discontinued over a period of weeks by weaning an individual from the treatment and then restarting the medication again after some time has been spent without it," according to the association. Oxybutynin (Ditropan) or hyoscyamine (Levsin) can be helpful if the problem is a small bladder. Those medications reduce bladder contractions, thus increasing bladder capacity, according to the Mayo Clinic. Imipramine: In adults, this tricyclic antidepressant can be used off-label to treat bedwetting, but the National Association for Continence recommends extreme caution because serious side effects are possible, such as heart problems, lowered blood pressure and increased suicide risk. It should only be used if other medications and treatments have failed.
