It is normal for children to pee in bed until they are 5 years old, but it is possible that at 3 years of age they will stop peeing in bed completely.
To teach your child not to pee in bed, the steps you can follow are:
- Do not give fluids to children before bed: This way the bladder is not full during sleep and it is easier to hold the pee until morning; Take the child to pee before going to bed. Emptying the bladder before bedtime is essential for better urine control; Make a weekly calendar with the child and put a happy face when on days he does not pee in bed: Positive reinforcement is always a good help and this encourages child to control urine better; do not put the diaper at night, especially when the child has stopped using diapers; avoid blaming the child when he or she wet the bed. Sometimes 'accidents' can happen and it is normal during child development that there are less happy days.
Putting on a mattress pad that covers the entire mattress is a great way to prevent urine from reaching the mattress. Some materials completely absorb urine, preventing diaper rash.
Bedwetting is usually related to simple causes, such as changes in temperature, increased water intake during the day or changes in the child's life, so when situations like this are present, there is no need to worry.
When to go to the pediatrician
It is recommended to go to the pediatrician when the child who has not peed in bed for a few months, returns to pee in bed frequently. Some situations that can influence this type of behavior are moving house, missing parents, being uncomfortable and the arrival of a little brother. However, bedwetting may also indicate health problems such as diabetes, urinary tract infection and urinary incontinence, for example.
See too:
