What It Means
Bedwetting is passing urine without meaning to while asleep. Doctors call it nocturnal enuresis, and Mayo Clinic also uses the name nighttime incontinence. Cleveland Clinic notes it's common in children, including children who are fully potty trained during the day. Mayo Clinic links it to the time a child's body takes to develop the nerves and muscles that control the bladder during sleep, and both Mayo Clinic and NIDDK say it often runs in families.
Try It: Check Whether to Call the Doctor About Bedwetting
Enter your child's age and tick anything you've noticed. The advice comes from Mayo Clinic; it's a guide, not a diagnosis.
Call your child's doctor. Mayo Clinic lists this among the signs to get checked.
From about age 7, Mayo Clinic suggests trying steps at home first, and seeing the doctor if they don't help.
Common at this age and usually outgrown. Raise it at the next checkup if it worries you or your child.
How Parents Say It
- "She's dry all day but still wet most mornings."
- "He won't do sleepovers because of it."
- "His dad wet the bed until he was about eight."
The Breakdown
By age
| Age | What to know | Source |
|---|---|---|
| After potty training | Nighttime wetting is still common | Cleveland Clinic |
| Before about 7 | Bladder control during sleep may still be developing; it often runs in families | Mayo Clinic, NIDDK |
| About 7 and older | Try steps at home, and see the doctor if they don't help | Mayo Clinic |
| Any age | Call the doctor about warning signs, below | Mayo Clinic |
Signs to call the doctor about, from Mayo Clinic
- Pink, red or cloudy urine, or blood on underwear or pajamas
- Unusual straining, a very small or thin stream, or dribbling afterward
- Redness or a rash in the genital area
- Wetting during the day as well as at night
When to talk to the doctor. Beyond those signs, talk to your child's doctor if bedwetting continues around age 7 after you've tried steps at home, or if it's upsetting your child, affecting sleepovers or school, or you're simply unsure.
Good to Know
Mayo Clinic ties it to development, so make sure your child knows they're not in trouble for it. When a doctor decides treatment is worthwhile, the main options, as a review on PubMed Central describes them, are a bedwetting alarm and medicine. Mayo Clinic and NIDDK each have a treatment page written for families; ask the doctor which, if any, suits your child.
FAQ
At what age is bedwetting a concern?
Mayo Clinic suggests that by about age 7 it's reasonable to try steps at home and, if they don't help, to see the doctor. Warning signs like pink or cloudy urine, straining or daytime wetting are worth a call at any age.
What causes bedwetting in children?
Mayo Clinic links it to the time a child's body takes to develop the nerves and muscles that control the bladder during sleep. It often runs in families, according to both Mayo Clinic and NIDDK.
Do bedwetting alarms work?
Alarms are one of the two main treatments doctors use, along with medicine, according to a review on PubMed Central. Ask your child's doctor whether an alarm fits your child's age and situation.
Do It in Buhata
Calendar and Reminders
Add your child's next checkup to the Calendar in Buhata with a Reminder a few days ahead to jot down how many wet nights you've noticed, so you have specifics for the doctor.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Sleep schedule
The set times a person goes to bed and gets up each day, planned so they get the hours of sleep recommended for their age.
Sources
Mayo Clinic, "Bed-wetting: Symptoms and causes"; Mayo Clinic, "Bed-wetting: Diagnosis and treatment"; Mayo Clinic News Network, "Mayo Clinic Q and A: Helping your child with bed-wetting"; Mayo Clinic News Network, "Tuesday Q & A: Bed-wetting common in children, especially boys, even after age 5"; NIDDK, "Symptoms & Causes of Bladder Control Problems & Bedwetting in Children"; NIDDK, "Treatment of Bladder Control Problems & Bedwetting in Children"; Cleveland Clinic, "Bedwetting (Nocturnal Enuresis)"; "Alarm Therapy in the Treatment of Enuresis in Children: Types and Efficacy Review" (PubMed Central)
- www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bed-wetting/symptoms-causes/syc-20366685
- www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bed-wetting/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20366711
- newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-helping-your-child-with-bed-wetting
- newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tuesday-q-a-bed-wetting-common-in-children-especially-boys-even-after-age-5
- www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/bladder-control-problems-bedwetting-children/symptoms-causes
- www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/bladder-control-problems-bedwetting-children/treatment
- my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15075-bedwetting
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8453315
Last updated .