Can Excessive Drinking During the Day Cause Bed-Wetting in Children?

Developing Bladder Control

• Learning to control the bladder is part of a child's development. At first, your little one has no control at all. Soon, though, kids gradually gain bladder control and the ability to "hold it." Gaining full bladder control during sleep is the last part of this process, and children complete it at different ages. Also, children's bladders are still growing, and smaller ones obviously need more frequent emptying. Pediatricians don't even consider bed-wetting a problem until at least age 6 or 7, according to MayoClinic.com. Of course, the more full your child's bladder is when she goes to sleep, the more likely she'll have an accident overnight if she hasn't gained total control over it.

Sound Sleeping

• A key variable in bed-wetting is how sound a sleeper your child is. Families with kids who wet the bed usually report that their children are particularly sound sleepers. For kids who are difficult to rouse, the sensation of having to urinate is less likely to wake them up from a deep sleep. If they're still gaining bladder control, bed-wetting is even more likely. Again, if your child drinks excessively during the day and at night and her bladder isn't adequately voided before bed, the fluid consumption may make bed-wetting more probable. However, the sound sleeping is what's preventing her from waking to go to the bathroom.

Other Causes

• Bed-wetting isn't caused by your child being too lazy to get up to go to the bathroom. Generally, an overnight accident is more upsetting to the child than to the parents. Constipation can mean the bladder is compressed, so it sometimes contributes to bed-wetting. However, take heart in knowing that bed-wetting rarely has medical causes -- less than 3 percent of the time, in fact, according to WebMD.com. Stress and psychological factors are more likely. However, when medical conditions are to blame, those often implicated include sleep apnea, urinary tract infections, hormonal imbalances and diabetes.

What to Do

• If your child is wetting the bed and drinking excessively, it's a good idea to dial back the fluid intake in the few hours leading up to bedtime. Don't completely deprive your child of drinks at night, just keep them small and infrequent; about 8 ounces of fluid is usually considered appropriate for the evening, but check with your pediatrician for a personalized recommendation. Don't allow caffeinated beverages like soda at night, since caffeine is a diuretic. Encourage your little one to urinate about an hour before bed and again right beforehand. If your child's been constipated, ask your pediatrician about treating it. Mention the bed-wetting, too, and ask for advice.