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Bed-Wetting: A Survival Guide for You and Your Child Ronald Sutherland, M.D. In the middle of the night, your toilet-trained 3-year-old cries from her bed complaining of wetness. For some reason, she didn't get up to go the bathroom. So you get out of bed, calm her down, change her pajamas and bed sheets, and somehow get back to sleep. The next night, it's the same story all over again. Is Bed-Wetting Normal? According to Kapi'olani pediatric urologist Ronald Sutherland, M.D., nighttime bed-wetting, called nocturnal enuresis, is very common among preschoolers and affects about 40 percent of all 3-year-olds. "In most cases, the problem will go away even if parents do nothing," says Dr. Sutherland. Patience and support are the key ingredients to waiting out this problem. But there are a few steps parents can take to make things easier for the child and themselves. He advises: Have your child go to the bathroom just before going to bed. Have your child avoid drinking large amounts of fluids just before bedtime. Protect the bed. Put a rubber or plastic cover between the sheet and mattress until your child can stay dry during the night. After dry nights, reward your child. But do not punish after wet nights. Most children are fully toilet trained by age 3 or 4, but some may not be able to stay dry during the night until they are older. Up to 15 percent of all children regularly wet the bed until age 5 or later. Should You Call the Doctor? Call your pediatrician if your child starts wetting the bed after having been dry at night for a while. Your pediatrician may take a urine sample from your child to check for signs of an infection or other problems. But rest assured: Only about 1 percent of bed-wetting cases are related to diseases, such as bladder or kidney infections, diabetes, or defects in the child's urinary system. In rare instances, your pediatrician may prescribe medication when no other form of treatment works. Most children just need coaching from their parents. Dr. Sutherland offers these hints: Be sensitive to the child's feelings. Emphasize that bed-wetting is not your child's fault and that it will eventually go away. Be understanding if your child is embarrassed about spending the night at a friend's house or going to summer camp. Set a no-teasing rule in your household. Parents, caregivers, and siblings need to understand that the bed-wetting child doesn't have control over the problem. If your child is 7 or 8 years old, try a bed-wetting alarm device, which can be purchased in a pharmacy or online bed-wetting store. This device sets off an alarm when it senses urine, so that the child can wake up to use the toilet. If you have questions about bedwetting at any age, call your pediatrician. Time is on your side; most children eventually outgrow the problem. Pediatric urology services offer children and their families comprehensive treatment and support for everyday urinary problems, as well as highly specialized care for less common disorders. If you're concerned your child has a problem, talk with your pediatrician.