Bedwetting can be rather common at a very young age.
The reason that the child does not wake up is usually due to the fact that the brain has not yet made connection that arousal is necessary when signals of a full bladder are received. This could be sometimes due to a hormone deficiency. Most children grow out of bedwetting by the age of 12. At any age, his sleep disorder can be very embarrassing or frustrating for child and family because of sleepovers or going away from home.
The child should be reassured, not punished. Bedwetting is very treatable, with the most successful perhaps being the mattress pad or other sensing device which gives some kind of alarm or signal to waken the sleeper to get up to use the bathroom. Some relief may also come from reducing liquid intake after the evening meals (particularly drinks with alcohol or caffeine). Some have found success with nasal sprays or other medications.
Percentage of Children who Experience Nocturnal Enuresis (1)
Bedwetting can also be a problem for people as they get age or as they have hormonal changes or reduced bladder or abdominal muscle control.
(1) Morin MD, Charles M. Relief from Insomnia: Getting the Sleep of Your Dreams. New York: Doubleday Maintreet Books. 1996. (pp. 185 - 186)
(2)There had been a website of The National Enuresis Society, URL: http://www.peds.umn.edu/centers/NES/ but their communication (e-mail) indicates they will not able to maintain their website at and plan to merge with the National Kidney Foundation. Aug. 12, 1999.
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