Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Potty Trained Four-Year-Old Wetting the Bed | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
My four-year-old boy has been potty trained since he was two. We never had issues with bedwetting, but now he has started to wet the bed two to three times a week. What could have triggered this? We have not changed anything. He does not drink anything past 6:30pm.— Stacy in Kennesaw, GA | | | ANSWER |
April 6, 2001 | | | Dear Stacy,
Most often young children begin to wet again because of a new stress: something at school or daycare, in the neighborhood, or at home. Often it's not something obvious to parents, although it's important to the child.
Even though psychological causes are most common, occasionally a return to bedwetting is the result of a medical problem (such as a bladder infection or constipation). Urine infections, in particular, are important to know about since they can (in rare cases) lead to kidney damage. It's a good idea to tell your healthcare provider about the recent situation so that he or she can determine whether to do a simple urine analysis or urine culture to look for these treatable conditions.
For more on bedwetting, see the Bedwetting section of our site.— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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