Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Bed-Wetting and Zoloft | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
What can I do to help my 11-year-old son stop bed-wetting? His bed-wetting began when he started taking Zoloft. He has never had this problem before, not even as a toddler. I have talked with his doctors and they both say he needs to limit his intake of fluids. Can you please help me? Is there something he can take? He is so embarrassed and I don't know what to do. Please reply. Thank you.— Not Giving Up Hope in Brooklyn, NY | | | ANSWER |
August 24, 2001 | | | Dear Not Giving up Hope,
Zoloft is trade name for sertraline, a medication that is often used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other conditions. According to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, nighttime wetting is not a common side effect of sertraline; it might happen in one in a thousand cases or even less often. It is possible that bed-wetting that begins after starting sertraline is a result of the sertaline, but it is also very possible that something else is causing the bed-wetting, and it just happened to follow the starting of the medication.
Anytime bed-wetting or daytime wetting starts up in an older child who has been dry for years, it's wise to get a thorough assessment. Our section on bedwetting describes what goes into this assessment and what you need to look for. Occasionally, for example, bed-wetting can be caused by an infection of the bladder or kidneys, which needs antibiotics.
If you have followed your son's doctor's advice, but the problem hasn't gotten better, you might ask for a second (or third) opinion. Good doctors are glad to help patients get second opinions, because what matters most is that a child gets the best care possible.— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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