Bed-wetting can be frustrating for parents and embarrassing for children, especially the longer it continues. It has no specific cause; however, a number of risk factors exist that may make it easier to prevent, especially if the cause is a treatable medical condition.
Urine Infection
When your child is having a hard time controlling her urination at night time, a urinary infection may be the culprit. You may notice that she experiences accidents throughout the day, as well, another symptom of an infection. Other symptoms to watch for include complaining of pain when she uses the bathroom and frequent urination. If properly diagnosed and treated, her bed-wetting may end.
Genetics
Your child's chances of being a bed-wetter increase to 80 percent if both you and your spouse were bed-wetters when you were children, according to the Mayo Clinic. This condition tends to run in families and may be something your child simply needs to outgrow.
Psychological
Children have a tendency to express stress differently than adults--bed-wetting is one of these ways. As explained by the Urology Channel, a child who has suffered from some type of abuse, albeit sexual or physical, or who has suffered the loss of someone close to her may have deep-rooted psychological issues that can be the underlying cause for her bed-wetting.
Inability to Recognize Full Bladder
Children who sleep soundly may not have the ability to feel, or recognize, a full bladder. Most children wake up when the nerve sending the message to their brain alerts them that their bladder is full. However, in some children, this nerve has not matured yet, causing them to wet the bed until they are 4 or 5 years old.
Medical Problems
The Mayo Clinic explains that your child may suffer from an underlying medical condition that may be playing a large role in her bed-wetting problem. Diabetes may be one of these conditions. If she is presenting additional symptoms, such as passing large amounts of urine at one time, excessive thirst, and weight loss, even though she eats well, you may want to have her examined by her pediatrician. Diabetes is a definite possibility if she is just beginning to have problems with bed-wetting.
Sleep apnea is yet another condition that may contribute to bed-wetting. This is a medical condition that causes an interruption in your child's breathing while she sleeps. The most common causes in children include enlarged adenoids and tonsils. Additional symptoms include daytime drowsiness, snoring, frequent ear or sinus infections, and complaints of a sore throat on a regular basis.
