You may have heard that some children all of a sudden begin wetting after being dry at night since toilet training! Why does this happen, do you think? 

Children can sometimes start bedwetting because of stress. It could be a new school, a new baby in the family or a family crisis, like a parent separation or death in the family. It’s important for parents to realise that the child is no more at fault here than an adult with a headache. The most important part of any treatment plan in this situation is emotional support, reassurance and patience. 

According to a report in the Journal of Urology in 2011, 20 to 30% of all children with nocturnal enuresis have behavioural and psychological problems. This is double the rate found in non-wetting children! These problems can either be internalised, like anxiety or depression, or on the other hand, externalised, like showing defiance, anger, resentment or conduct disorder.

Regardless of the cause, behavioural and psychological issues have a negative effect on adhering to treatment and the treatment’s outcome. So it’s very important to identify and treat any mental health issues in children with bedwetting, in order to maximise the potential success in treating the bedwetting.