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What can I do if my child is bedtime and daytime wetting?

Daytime and bedtime wetting (enuresis) is best described as delays or difficulties in bladder control resulting in wetting accidents at day or night beyond the age at which you would expect your child to be dry.

Here are some things to think about that might help with keeping your child dry during the day/at night:

Daytime wetting
  1. Is your child drinking enough? Children should try to drink six to eight glasses of water-based drinks per day (one glass is approximately 250ml) – this is important even though you are worried about them not being dry
  2. Could your child be constipated? It’s always best to exclude this first.
  3. Does he/she get so engrossed in their activities that they are then too late to? Your could try prompting your child at regular intervals to go to the toilet (ideally every 90 minutes)
  4. Is he/she rushing in and out of the toilet? Your child may need incentives to stay in the bathroom a bit longer, such as a book or a game
  5. Is he/she comfortable/safe sitting on the toilet – does he/she need a child’s toilet seat and a stool/step
 
Bed wetting (Nocturnal Enuresis)
  1. Is your child drinking enough during the day? Children should try to drink six to eight glasses of water-based drinks per day (one glass is approximately 250ml) – this is important even though you are worried about them not being dry
  2. Could your child be constipated? It’s always best to exclude this first. See our information on constipation
  3. Avoid blackcurrant, caffeinated and fizzy drinks as these can irritate the bladder
  4. Try and make sure your child’s last drink is about an hour/an hour and half before bed
  5. Make sure they go to the toilet before bedtime – but we don ‘t recommend you wake children in the night and get them up to go
  6. Is your child still wearing pull-ups at night? You could try a few nights without to encourage them
 
The Public Health Nursing Team can support children and young people in the assessment and management of daytime and night time wetting.