Bedwetting
By Barbara Parker, RN, ARNP, CNM

Q. At what age does bedwetting become a concern? My five year old is still wetting the bed every night. She is almost always dry for naps. My husband and I were bedwetters, and we both come from a line line of bedwetting. I was given medicine that worked for me, but I know I was much older than five. Is this something she should have an appointment for in itself, or just something to mention to her doctor at her next physical?

A. At the age of five, 50% of all kids will still have bedwetting problems on a regular basis. By the age of 10, that drops to 10%.

It's always a good idea to have things checked by your health care provider to be sure there's nothing else going on. Some kids just have very small bladders, some sleep very soundly, and some have trouble with the muscle that opens and closes the flow from the bladder.

It's far more common than you can imagine!