What is Enuresis or Bedwetting?
Having children who are toilet trained is a right of passage that most parents look forward to. However, some children have more difficulty with this than others.
Enuresis or “bedwetting” is when children with a developmental age of 5 or older, continue to urinate while in bed or wearing clothes, either intentionally or by accident. This may occur at night, during the day, or a combination of both.
You might want to consider therapy for enuresis if the behaviour…
- occurs two or more times a week for at least 3 months
- causes the child (or parents) distress
- is leading to problems at school, with peers, or in some other important way
What causes Enuresis?
Please see a physician to rule out any medical causes for enuresis. From an emotional standpoint, enuresis can be caused by stress or developmental delays. Stress can be things like pressure to be toilet trained before the child is ready, marital discord, or harsh or inconsistent discipline.
How can therapy help?
Therapy can help your child to better cope with underlying stress and tension so that urination problems become a thing of the past. Sometimes parental coaching or family therapy may be helpful in addition to working with the child directly.