Bed Wetting
Enuresis is involuntary urination while asleep after the age at which bladder control usually occurs. This should not even be considered a problem before the child is 3 or 4 years old, as children develop bladder control at different times. Normally by the age of 3 yrs 85% are dry by day and night barring an occasional accident.
CAUSES
Most enuresis is caused by a slow development of bladder control, just as some children are slower than other learning to read. Some anxiety, psychological upsets such as parental rows or a new baby can be implicated. It can also be an attention seeking ploy.
Other causes are:-
- Urinary tract infection
- Congenital bladder abnormality
- Juvenile diabetes
- Worms
The causes of bed-wetting are not entirely known. It tends to run in families. Most children with primary enuresis have a close relative-a parent, aunt, or uncle-who also had the disorder. About 70% of children with two parents who wet the bed will also wet the bed. Sometimes bed-wetting can be caused by a serious medical problem like diabetes, sickle-cell anemia, or epilepsy. Snoring and episodes of interrupted breathing during sleep (sleep apnea) occasionally contribute to bed-wetting problems. Enlarged adenoids can cause these conditions. Other physiological problems, such as severe constipation, or spinal cord injury, can cause bed-wetting.
SYMPTOMS
- Child sleeps deeply at night & is difficult to arouse the child may not even understand that the bed is wet.
- Along with bed wetting children might show symptoms of excessive fear emotional liability and parent-child maladjustment
DO'S AND DON'TS
- Give the child positive reward, praise and encouragement for every dry night.
- Do not make the child feel guilty about the episodes of bed wetting & do not scold him.
- Try to understand the problems faced by the child at school, with peers & at home.
- Be firm, not harsh & make the child change the bed clothes in the morning as a normal routine.
- Do not give him water or any fluids for about 2 hours before sleeping.
- See that the child empties the bladder before going to bed.Try to develop better bladder control in your child by delaying urination by a few minutes during the day.
AVOID ALLERGENS BY
- Choosing fresh unprocessed food
- Checking food labels for additives.
- Taking extra care like wearing gloves while using detergents and cleaners Clean your house, or vacuum frequently to get rid of dust mites, animal hair, etc.
- Remember that most allergens are in themselves harmless. It is your body's abnormal response and not the allergen that does the damage. So coming in contact with the offending substance will not hurt, as long as you can control your reaction to it.
- Inform the health care personnel about drugs to which you are allergic to In case of severe breathlessness, giddiness, and skin rash feeble pulse.