Being a mother of 4 children, I’ve seen it all. When my daughter (3rd born), who was the earliest of my kids to stop wearing diapers, began to wet the bed at age 3, it seemed like it came out of nowhere. I searched for answers. I asked other parents; most told me “she’s young just give it time”. But being the person I am, that did not satisfy me, so I began to do my research and this is what I learned.
Bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis, is the involuntary urination during sleep in children over the age of 5. Many potty trained children who have managed to stay dry at night may suddenly begin bedwetting during sleep this can go on for years. Wetting the bed before the age of 7 is a natural stage in development and is so common it can hardly be called abnormal. The problem will most likely resolve itself over time and single episodes of bedwetting are not a concern. However a growing number of parents are concerned about their school aged child’s inability to stay dry at night. It can be daunting trying to figure out why your child can’t seem to wake up during the night and use the bathroom, when previously this was a non-issue. The common term for this is secondary bedwetting, the child has achieved night-time continence and due to psychological stress or some underlying medical conditions starts experiencing nighttime wetness.
As a parents your first thought is usually that your child is to lazy to get up however, (unless your child tells you directly that they peed the bed because they where to tired to get up like son mine did) bedwetting has nothing to do with laziness. There are numerous factors that can be contributing to your child’s incontinence its important to look at the whole picture and not just the symptom. Here is a list of some of the contributing causes but keep in mind your child may not be affected by any of these:
Physical considerations:
• Hereditary
• Difficulty waking up from sleep
• Delayed development of the central nervous system affects the ability to recognize a full bladder
• A small bladder
• Some kids produce more urine at night if their anti-diuretic hormonal levels are low
• Infection in the bladder or kidneys
• Defect in the urethral valves in boys or in the ureter in girls or boys
• Deformity or injury of the spinal cord
• Sleep apnea
• Type 1 Diabetes
• Chronic constipation - full bowels can put pressure on the bladder
• Caffeine intake like soda, coffee, and chocolate
• Certain food allergies
• Children with Down Syndrome, ADHD, developmental delays
Mental and Emotional concerns:
• Improper or stressful toilet training
• Stress from new fears or insecurities such as:
o Arrival of a new baby
o A new school
o Sleeping away from home
o Moving into a new home
o Losing a family member
o Parents divorce
o Sexual abuse
o Being bullied or teased
o Being punished
o Feeling rejected
o Parental alcoholism
• Nightmares
Truth be told, you may never know the actually cause of your child’s incontinence but you can be reassured you that there is a homeopathic solution. Homeopathic medicine is very effective when it comes to childhood bedwetting. More and more parents are choosing homeopathy because it is safe, gentle and children respond quickly to Homeopathy. The homeopathic remedies act both on the psychological, physiological and physical level to relieve bedwetting. The Homeopathic remedies can prevent unwanted contractions of the bladder, restore normal bladder musculature, function and urethral sphincter control, and hence, prevent any involuntary passing of urine. Homeopathic remedies treat bedwetting naturally without disturbing the endocrine system and they reduce anxiety, which is attributed to cause bed-wetting in children. These remedies are natural, gentle, safe and can be given to children of any age. There is one major positive to having an older child who wets the bed which is the older child can usually explain specifically what he/she experiences emotionally and physically during the night hence making it easier to choose the exact remedy.
Here is a list of remedies to consider:
Belladonna: This remedy is indicated for children who have frequent and profuse urination after midnight approaching the morning hours. A good remedy choice if the bedwetting is due to a bladder infection.
Kreosotum: Indicated when the child urinates while dreaming of urination.
Argentum nitricum: When the child urinates due to restlessness, nervousness or anticipation of an event.
Equisetum: Indicated when the individual wets the bed during nightmares and dreams, experiences incontinence such as passing water without any cause, with involuntary stools, without feeling any relief. It can be used on the child that has the constant urge to urinate.
Sulfur: indicated for the child that loves sweets and spices and who wets the bed in the early half of the night (before midnight). It can also be used on the child that sleeps with his/her feet sticking out of the covers and experiences vivid dreams.
Borax: When the child urinates frequently at night due to fear.
Rhus Tox: When there is a constant dribbling of urine due to a weak bladder. The child may wake up with only a small amount of urine on his/her clothing.
Causticum: When the bedwetting is significantly more during the winter compared to summer.
Sepia: This remedy can be used to treat bedwetting and kidney problems. It is often recommended in female children, if they wet the bed during the first half of the night and love to be active and dance.
In addition to these remedies, you should also feed your child a healthy diet rich in nuts and fruit, especially walnuts and cranberries. Have your child eat at least 2 bananas a day and avoid sugary carbonated drinks all together. If you have a teenage child, they should avoid caffeine and alcohol, as these can exacerbate the condition. Do not restrict water! Allow your child to drink as much water as they need, however they should try and not drink an hour before bed and use the toilet just before sleeping.
This is a journey. Be encouraging and positive. Keep in mind that it is much harder on the child than you. Be sure to acknowledge the days when they remain dry. Before you know it, this will be behind you and rest assured homeopathy is here to help.
I gave my daughter Kreostum 30ch and she’s been dry ever since.
Sylvia Ssonko
Participant, Homeopathic Mentorship and Work Exchange Program