Elizabeth Pantley
, author of The No-Cry Potty Training Solution and The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers & Preschoolers, answers THIS question:

 Is my child's bed-wetting normal? How can I help him stay dry?

The answer:  Bedwetting is normal among toddlers and preschoolers. It’s not a behavior problem – it’s biological. Their urinary system has not yet matured. A young child can sleep very deeply, and his kidneys don’t send a signal to the brain to wake up. Most often, as children grow, this condition is self-correcting.



Relax and, umm, go with the flow...

For a bedwetting toddler or preschooler the solution is simple: allow your child to sleep in diapers, absorbent pants, or use a waterproof mattress cover until he begins to stay dry all night. You only need to take action about bedwetting if your child is older than six, or if there are symptoms of a sleep disorder, such as loud snoring.



Ways to give biology a nudge

Even though bedwetting is normal for young children, you can help your child stay dry at night by doing the following:


•    Make sure that your child uses the toilet often during the day, about every two hours. This encourages normal bladder function. Direct your child to use the bathroom if you see signs of the need, such as squirming or leg-crossing. “Holding it” can be counterproductive and hinder normal development.


•    Encourage your child to drink plenty of water, juice and milk during the day. Dehydration prevents normal bladder function. You can limit liquids for an hour or two before bedtime, but you don’t need to cut out liquids entirely since this reduces the amount of urine, it doesn’t stop the reasons for bedwetting.


•    Have your child make several pre-bed trips to the bathroom – at the star of your bedtime routine and again at the very end, just before lights out. Make certain that your child finishes emptying his bladder by relaxing for three to five minutes, since lots of children rush and don’t finish the job. You can keep him company - talk, read a book or tell a story.


•    Keep a night light on in the hallway and make certain there is a clear path to the bathroom for middle-of-the-night visits.  A child who is afraid of the dark won’t make a trek down a long, dark hallway no matter how badly he needs to use the bathroom.


•    Don’t place any blame on your child, and don’t make her feel guilty or ashamed. Let her know that it’s normal, and it will take time to change. Use positive reinforcement with a sticker-chart to help your child monitor her own success.



If these ideas don't work, and if your child is over age six, a specialist can help direct you on the use of bed alarms, bladder-training exercises, diet changes, therapy or medication.

By Elizabeth Pantley
, author of The No-Cry Potty Training Solution and The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers & Preschoolers,