The Impact of Bed Wetting on Children

Bed wetting in children over the age of five can often be distressing to parents and children. In certain cases, bed wetting is also accompanied by many other symptoms that can affect a child. Many children also suffer from daytime enuresis that can affect them all the more emotionally and mentally.

The impact of bed wetting on children is multifold and needs to be understood to help children sensitively deal with the issue.

Psychological Impact

There is often a feeling of shame associated with bed wetting among children. How parents/care-givers, respond to a child’s bed wetting also shapes the child’s perception regarding the action. Being reprimanded for it can make the child feel guilt and shame, which can have a terrible impact on their mental health. Apart from the constant fear of their peers finding out, being teased by other children can also cause humiliation and distress for the child, which can led to various conditions such as anxiety, depression etc

Social Impact

Making friends is a normal part of childhood. This is also the phase where children start engaging more with relatives and friends of the family. Children who have bed wetting problems undergo a lot of stress when it comes to socialising. When it comes to school camps, sleepovers with friends, or even a family vacation, children who wet their bed are more likely to avoid such gatherings. Social isolation can worsen the impact of bed wetting on children by making them feel more alone and guilty.

Behavioural Impact

The feeling of guilt and shame brought on by bedwetting can often cause significant behavioural changes in the child. Children who wet the bed may try to socially isolate themselves or avoid certain activities that they previously enjoyed. Mental health conditions such as depression, which is also a common impact of bed wetting on children, may also cause them to be withdrawn.

Physical Impact

Any kind of mental stress can begin to manifest physically over time. Feeling shame or guilt for wetting the bed can cause a child’s self-esteem to lower even further. This can impact their emotional well-being which in turn can lead to phyiscal well-being issues

Bed wetting can also have a huge impact on parents. Parents are equally stressed about the well-being of their child and the impact that bed wetting can have on their child’s overall health. This is why it is so important to understand the impact of bed wetting on children to empower parents, to empower children to reach solutions bedwetting, often with great success of becoming dry and resuming childhood and family life without the stresses and effects bedwetting can cause.

A bed wetting specialist can better help both children and parents understand the issue and the possible ways to deal with it through healthy approaches.