Sudden, occasional bedwetting

[Anonymous]

My son is 11, nearly 12. Potty trained before he was 3 and I honestly can’t ever remember him having an accident at night since before he started school.

Until this year, when completely out of the blue he wet the bed a few months ago, and since the n has had a handful of accidents - probably every month or so, although with no discernible pattern.

He was really upset by it the first time, understandably, but we’ve never made a big deal over it and reassured him that it’s not his fault, and he’s much calmer now when it does happen, sorting himself out and just letting us know.

I’d be more worried if it was an every night or more regular thing, but being so sporadic not really sure whether it warrants a visit to the paediatrician to be checked out or just a “later than usual” bedwetting phase which we thought we’d been lucky to avoid.

He told me earlier that he’d had another accident last night, and he’s got a bit upset again worrying about it happening at a sleepover or on a school trip, which I completely understand - he’d be mortified!

Just looking to see whether anybody else has experienced this happening seemingly randomly at a later age, and if you’ve any pointers to help get to the bottom of it and help reassure him?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Since it's a sudden change, I think it's worth checking in with the pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

It could be chronic constipation. Or a kidney issue.

I’m sorry, OP. Definitely consult the pediatrician.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It could be chronic constipation. Or a kidney issue.

I’m sorry, OP. Definitely consult the pediatrician.

Hopefully it's constipation

Type 1 diabetes also has this as a symptom

[Anonymous]

Thanks, definitely worth getting him checked over then. I think I knew that really, but somehow convinced myself I’d be wasting the paed’s time over a handful of ‘normal’ accidents.

Not aware of any constipation or change in bowel habits, he was horrified when I just asked him (“mom, do we have to talk about my poop?!” 😂) but assured me he goes every day and it’s ‘normal’.

I’ll make an appointment, even if only to reassure us both if there isn’t a medical cause and it’s just one of those things.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to ask but are you sure it’s… pee?

[Anonymous]

Yes, it’s definitely pee. It’s not a little leak unfortunately, and the volume involved couldn’t be anything else.

We have had a chat about what else could happen in the past (you can imagine his reaction to that, given his embarrassment at poop talk) and he knows he can just pop anything that needs cleaning in the wash without needing to let me know - I only asked him to keep us in the loop about the accidents in case there was a need to get him checked, as we’re going to do now as it doesn’t seem to be going away after 5 months or so.

[Anonymous]

5 months op!.

I'm glad you are getting him checked out now.

But for anyone else reading this 5 months is too long of a wait

Sudden onset of bed wetting in an 11 year old is not a wait and see

[Anonymous]

Yes, glad you’re getting him checked out. Hopefully not a big thing.

For any other readers this is definitely a red flag for type 1 diabetes, which appears out of the blue, more often than not to (otherwise very healthy) kids with no family history.

Other symptoms also correlate with being a growing kid especially at this age: increased hunger and thirst are the big ones. They get thinner but at first it can seem like they’re just growing taller. Maybe irritability, fatigue, malaise.

We missed all the symptoms until it was very dangerous, as do many parents.

[Anonymous]

in the meantime he shoudl wear pull-ups for sleepovers and school trips.

[Anonymous]

I was potty trained early, but did periodically wet my bed until I was six or seven... then didn't for years. I did again on my first day of middle school. Stress can do it.

I had some friends in frats in college and it was shocking how many guys wet their bed—mostly booze related, but some were just periodic bed-wetters... stress, lack of sleep, etc. Not necessarily saying it's okay, but it's definitely not as abnormal as you'd think for teens and even adult men to have periodic accidents.

[Anonymous]

If you can recall, does this correlate with eating sweets before bed? Check for diabetes.

[Anonymous]

I’m guessing constipation. MiraLAX every day for 3 weeks and see what happens .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was potty trained early, but did periodically wet my bed until I was six or seven... then didn't for years. I did again on my first day of middle school. Stress can do it.

I had some friends in frats in college and it was shocking how many guys wet their bed—mostly booze related, but some were just periodic bed-wetters... stress, lack of sleep, etc. Not necessarily saying it's okay, but it's definitely not as abnormal as you'd think for teens and even adult men to have periodic accidents.

. wetting the bed as a teen and adult is abnormal

[Anonymous]

Run to the doctor. This can be a sign of developing Type 1 diabetes.