Bedwetting

Is your child ready to use a potty? The more important question may be, are you? Children are usually ready around ages 18-24 months. They often signal that they are ready by letting you know when their diapers need changing. You should be prepared to commit to three months of daily encouragement. Successful trips to the potty should be rewarded. Missteps shouldn't get as much attention. Training requires patience. If it is not successful, it may mean your child is not ready.

Many children wet the bed until they are 5 or even older. A child's bladder might be too small. Or the amount of urine produced overnight can be more than the bladder can hold. Some children sleep too deeply or take longer to learn bladder control. Children should not be punished for wetting the bed. They don't do it on purpose, and most outgrow it. Until then, bed-wetting alarms, bladder training and medicines might help.

The pad and bell method
One way to help your child become aware of urinating during sleep is to use a pad and bell. With this simple system, a bell rings and wakes the child once the pad is wet. Over a period of a few weeks, the child gains greater bladder control until they are consistently waking up to go to the toilet. It is best to use this under the guidance and supervision of a doctor.

Things to remember

* Bedwetting is common in young children and is part of their physical and emotional development.
* The child isn’t deliberately wetting the bed, so don’t punish them.
* Most children stop bedwetting as they grow older.
* A relapse of bedwetting can be a sign of stress in children.