Jupiterimages
The question
My 5 year old is still wetting the bed every two or three weeks. What can I do?
The answer
Bed wetting (also called enuresis) occurs in about 10 per cent of five-year-old kids. It's twice as common in boys than girls.
Genetics plays a big part: If one parent was a bed wetter, there is a 33 per cent chance his child will do the same. If both parents had enuresis it is close to 77 per cent likely their child will have enuresis.
Other causes include being a deep sleeper, having a smaller bladder volume and not having sufficient amounts of the ADH hormone, which reduces the production of urine at night.
The role of dietary changes to resolve enuresis remains very controversial. Eliminating food colorants from the diet will not consistently reduce enuresis.
Treatment for enuresis includes waking the child up by using a conditioning device which sounds an alarm when he voids in his sleep. Other options for treatment include a medication such as DDAVP melts, which increases the ADH level.
Some doctors will prescribe a medication which relaxes the bladder wall (Ditropan) or even an antidepressant Imipramine. I encourage families to avoid the latter if possible.
Send pediatrician Peter Nieman your questions at pediatrician@globeandmail.com. He will answer select questions, which could appear in The Globe and Mail and/or on The Globe and Mail web site. Your name will not be published if your question is chosen.
Read more Q&As from Dr. Peter Nieman.
Click here to see Q&As from all of our health experts.
The content provided in The Globe and Mail's Ask a Health Expert centre is for information purposes only and is neither intended to be relied upon nor to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.