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Misinformed
Getting the Facts Straight About Bedwetting in Special Needs Kids
By Lyn Mettler
"Parents do not 'cause' a child to wet the bed," says Dr. Pakula.
While bedwetting can be genetic, passed down from parent to child, it is not your "fault." Instead of feeling guilty, why not use your experience to help your child get through this difficult time?
Bedwetting can be caused by any number of things from neurological problems, deep sleeping, slower development, bladder infections, unmanaged diabetes and more – but it's never done intentionally.
According to the National Kidney Foundation, five to seven million children in the United States – special needs or not – wet their beds at night. Such statistics show that it's certainly not an unusual problem, and, in fact, it's likely that many of your child's friends are going through the same thing.
"I reassure parents that bedwetting is a common problem in childhood and not limited to children with special needs," says Dr. Pakula.
Children with special needs like autism, Down syndrome and ADHD may be slightly behind their non-special-needs peers in developing continence both day and night, according to Dr. Maurine Packard, assistant professor of pediatric neurology and development at Cornell University. "In general, it takes longer to toilet train special needs children," she says.
As a general rule of thumb, she suggests you speak with your doctor if your child hasn't developed nighttime continence within six months to a year after developing daytime continence.
Want to see more?
- Dry Days Ahead Helping Special Needs Children Learn to Use the Toilet
- Bedwetting and Special Needs Kids
- Absorbent Undergarments and Special Needs Children
- Words That Heal: Incontinence Solutions for Special Needs Kids
- Bedwetting and Summer Camp: Does Your Special Needs Child Have to Miss Out on All the Fun?
- Under Special Circumstances: Sleep Disorders and Bedwetting in Special Needs Children
- Bedwetting and Special Needs Children: How Treatment Varies With Age
