Dealing with Bed-Wetting Preschoolers
Just when you thought your preschooler was finally in "big kid" underpants for good, you awaken to a child with a wet bed. But you don't have to run out for a box of nighttime diapers just yet. The American Academy of Pediatrics reassures us that some 40 percent of toilet-trained 3-year-olds still wet the bed at night, and it's entirely normal for kids up to age 5 to occasionally do it, too.
While experts don't know why some children continue to wet the bed after they've been toilet trained, it's likely because their bladders aren't able to hold urine through a long night, or because the child isn't awakened by the feeling of his full bladder. Rest assured, your child is not wetting his bed on purpose, and it's important to tell him he isn't doing anything wrong.
Nighttime wetting is usually only cause for concern if your child has been dry for several months and then starts wetting the bed again. If that happens, she may be experiencing stress, due to starting school, moving to a new house, adjusting to a new baby in the family, or any other change in her status quo. If that's the case, it should pass.
Consult your pediatrician if your child starts to have accidents during the day, too, since it may indicate a urinary tract infection or other medical problem.
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