How To Stop Bed Wetting – Serious Potty Training Problems Solved
## Constipation
**Constipation can be common** in smaller children and it can be a big issue for a child that can lead to further physical complications. It is usually a result of a child holding on to their bowel movements for too long, which results in a hardened stool that can be difficult and painful to pass.
Here are some of the most common reasons your child can be constipated. Read through the list of causes and the suggested first-hand solutions for each.
WARNING: These are just suggestions, and are in no way medical doctor advice. It you are at all unsure of the causes of your child's constipation, you should see your child's doctor and let them advise on treatment.
However, some of the more common dietary causes can be helped quite simply – so here's where the below chart can help. If nothing else, you will at least be able to gauge what the nature of the problem.
### **Cause #1**
Fever or sickness that can result in dehydration and constipation.
### **Possible Solution**
You should see your doctor about this one. You could resolve to give more water, but that may not be enough.
### **Cause #2**
Forced potty training – this leads to the child holding on to their bowel movements.
### **Possible Solution**
Review your potty training techniques, and if they are ok, explain to your child that they should tell you straight away when they need to go, so that you can help them.
### **Cause #3**
A diet that is lacking in fiber or not enough water.
### **Possible Solution**
Try increasing her water intake and add more fiber into her diet. Foods that are high in fiber are: whole grain breads, whole-grain pasta, and brown rice; fruits such as dates, prunes, apricots and apples.
### **Cause #4**
If they have suffered from painful bowel movements in the past, which results in them not wanting to go through the pain again so they are reluctant to pass their stools.
### **Possible Solution**
If you are giving her high fiber foods, which will make her bowel movements soft, and that still hasn't worked, then you could try giving her an extra reward for having a poo. This could motivate her into using the potty for her bowel movements.
IMPORTANT: Constipation needs addressing because in the long term it can cause serious problems for your child.
It can lead to the stool being stuck in the lower intestine… water is drawn from it and becomes harder and often larger. Due to this the lining of the lower intestine can tear. If this happens then you need to consult your doctor as soon as possible, for appropriate treatment.
Most children will wet the bed occasionally when they first start going to bed without a diaper.
According to research, boys are more likely to wet the bed than girls, but **most will grow out of it within a year.**
However it can continue past the age of ten. When this happens it **can be emotionally painful and embarrassing for the child** especially when it comes to having sleepovers at their friends' houses.
If your child is still wetting the bed regularly after a year or so then there may be some deeper problem than just wetting the bed. **You need to get to the bottom of the problem** and be positive with your child about it. **NEVER embarrass her about it** – it's probably already traumatic for her – she probably can't help it!
Here are a few possible causes for bedwetting, and my suggested solutions to those causes.
WARNING: Again, this is not medical advice – just suggestions from my experience.
### **Cause #1 – Deep Sleeper**
Children that sleep deeply is the most common issue of bed wetting. For most grown ups and children there is a part of the brain that is conscious during sleep that wakes you when you need the bathroom.
Children that sleep so deeply, however, are unable to wake themselves when they need to go to the bathroom, because this part of their brain isn’t working properly yet.
When the bladder becomes too full, the muscle that controls urination opens leading to the child wetting the bed and she has no control over it whatsoever.
To spot whether this could be the case for your child then ask yourself this question – does your child wake easily when you try to wake her? If not and she is wetting the bed, then this could be the problem.
### **Possible Solution**
Limit your child’s fluids near to bedtime, ideally 2 hours before he goes to bed, but don’t let your child get dehydrated.
Take your child to the bathroom often. Make sure that they go before they go to bed, and wake her to take her again before you go to bed.
There are also alarms that you can get to put in your child’s underwear that sounds when it becomes wet.
The alarm will wake your child to go to the bathroom. This is sleep conditioning which will eventually train your child to wake when she needs the bathroom.
### **Cause #2 – Bladder Issues**
Some bladders are smaller than others which means that they get full quicker resulting in the need to go to the toilet more frequently.
### **Possible Solution**
Bladder exercises – the bladder is a muscle. Exercising the bladder will help strengthen the muscle to help with bladder control.
These exercises are simple – they are similar to the ones you did when you first had your child. It involves stopping and holding your urine for as long as possible.
### **Cause #3 – Hormone Levels**
A hormone called Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH), which controls the amount of urine that the kidney produces at night. A child with low levels of this hormone produces more urine than usual which leads to bedwetting.
### **Possible Solution**
Medication – there are now medications that have become available to help control bedwetting.
They can work in two ways; firstly, they help the bladder hold more urine. Secondly, they help the kidney produce less urine.
These can only be prescribed by your doctor.
### **Cause #4 – Hereditary**
If you were a bed wetter, then your child has a 50% chance of being a bed wetter too. If you and your spouse were both bedwetters, then your child has a 75% chance of being a bed wetter.
### **Possible Solution**
If you think that it could be hereditary then you really need to discuss this with your child's doctor. They may recommend to use a combination of all of the above.
### **Cause #5 – Serious Health Problems**
In rare cases, bedwetting can be a signal of a serious health problem.
Frequent urination even during the day could be a sign of diabetes.
There are also some central nervous system disorders that result in bedwetting.
### **Possible Solution**
These cases are rare, but if you are concerned that there is something wrong with your child go straight to your doctor or health care provider which can help in these cases.
IMPORTANT: Understanding your child's problem is half of the solution. The other part is about being patient and loving towards your child.
Talking to her and telling her that you understand the problems and that you want to work through them with her – you're here to help. Never shame your child, this will only make her feel bad and could make matters much worse.
**Chapter 8 – Potty Training Boys vs Girls – Important Considerations >>**
