When your child suffers from bedwetting (or enuresis), it can feel like an endless and exhausting cycle of stripping the bed and washing the sheets. For the bedwetter, it can feel incredibly frustrating and embarrassing. While most children by the age of five are able to go all night without urinating, or are able to wake themselves up to pee, 10–15% of five-year-olds and 6–8% of eight-year-olds, usually boys, aren’t quite there yet, making it more common than you might think.
Bedwetting is neither bad behaviour nor done on purpose, even if the child once had bladder control and then lost it. It can be related to emotional issues including stress, or a frightening situation such as moving to a new house, parental separation, arrival of a new sibling, or starting school.
Until your little one’s bladder has caught up with their growth, here are a few natural and common-sense approaches that are worth giving a go!
LIFESTYLE AND DIET
Reduce evening beverages
Restrict drinking to daytime hours.
Remind your child to take bathroom breaks
They’re busy being kids and sometimes gentle reminder is all they need.
Rule out constipation
And ensure your child is getting enough fibre and water in their diet.
Eliminate bladder irritants
These include caffeine, citrus juices, artificial flavourings, food dyes, and sweeteners.
Rule out food reactions
Remove the most common sources of food to see if the symptoms improve. Re-introduce one food at a time, and watch if the bedwetting worsens.
Offer cranberry juice
This has been shown to eradicate bacteria in the bladder or urinary tract that could be a contributing factor to the bed wetting issue.
SUPPLEMENTS AND HERBAL REMEDIES
Magnesium powder
Taken a few hours before bed, magnesium can help with anxiety and calm the nervous system.
Chamomile
Best known for its calming properties, chamomile can be used to ease tension, stress, emotional upset, nervousness, and insomnia.
Passionflower
Well-known for calming and soothing the nervous system and can support children who have difficulty sleeping.
Linden
This herb can help relax the body while soothing an irritable and tense mind, allowing the child to unwind and rest.
Always consult with a health professional to ensure the proper dosage for your child.
HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES
The success of homeopathy rests on finding the remedy that best matches the child’s symptoms picture. Watch for 7–10 days to see if a change has occurred.
Causticum
Useful for the child who wets the bed when they first fall asleep, when the urine passes so easily that the child is unaware of it, or when the urine leaks when laughing or coughing.
Lycopodium
Indicated for the child who passes large quantities of clear urine that may also be accompanied by sediment, resembling red sand. The typical child craves sweets, likes hot drinks, and can be cranky after waking, with worsening symptoms between 4 and 8 PM.
Sepia
Beneficial for the child who is constantly thinking about urinating and can experience involuntary urination as soon as they go to sleep at night. They are often indifferent, do not like sympathy, and prefer being alone.
Arsenicum album
Indicated for the nervous, anxious, restless, and fastidious child. Bedwetting occurs after midnight, and they tend to be chilly.
Pulsatilla
Appropriate for the child who often suffers with involuntary urination while sitting or walking and at night in bed. The child tends to be fussy, weepy, loves being with others, and does better outside.
It’s important to speak to a medical professional to ensure there are no contributing medical issues or even allergies that might be exacerbating the problem. In most cases, the bladder simply needs to mature, and the issue will likely resolve itself.
Remember that your child needs love and support to help them get through this time. Work with your health professional to get both you and your kiddo on the road to drier nights and less laundry!
