On our intake forms we ask the question, “does your child suffer from bedwetting?”  It was astonishing to me how many moms and dads answered, “yes” when filling out the form for their child. However, this was rarely the main reason the child was referred to my office. Many of these children were between the ages of 6 and 12. I even had one 15 year old have this complaint! This was shocking to say the least. Although all of the complaints varied from child to child, there was one common finding, all of them had nerve pressure. 

In this blog post I will discuss the common reasons children continue to wet the bed, how to identify the cause and how to correct the problem. 

Aside from all of the money spent on pull-ups, sheets, mattress covers etc. many of these parents were becoming worn down due to the physical demand this problem put on their and their child’s life. Multiple alarms and trips to the bathroom did not seem to prevent the problem from occurring. I’ve even had some parents use shock devices, medications and limit fluids to avoid any nightly accidents. These measures sound extreme but they are nothing compared to the embarrassment and emotional turmoil that was a result of bedwetting. 

Common Reasons for Bedwetting

There can be significant developmental challenges for those who suffer from prolonged bedwetting. Most bedwetters have one or multiple retained primitive reflexes. Children develop these reflexes in the womb and they should gradually disappear around 18 months of age. If developmental milestones are skipped, or not mastered, we can continue to see these primitive reflexes still present. This creates a major problem and is common in children who present with ADHD, ADD, ODD, bedwetting, toe walking, and trouble with hand eye coordination. 

If this sounds like your child, please know that you are NOT alone and this problem is much more common that people would like to share about it. 

How to Identify the Cause

Here are the facts. If your child is between the ages of 5 and 7, bedwetting is not considered a problem quite yet. Their nervous system may not be developed enough to coordinate full bladder control. However, after the age of 7 we want to have the child evaluated for any major causes of bedwetting. These include, type 1 diabetes, constipation or a genetic component. Once these possible causes are ruled out, we recommend looking to the nervous system for clues. 

How to Correct the Problem

By the age of 7, voluntary nervous system control should be fully developed. If it is not, and the child is still suffering, it is best to be assessed by a Gonstead chiropractor. Although we will assess the full spine and nervous system, we will place most attention to the areas of the nervous system that control the bladder. This is the atlas bone in the upper cervical spine, the sacral segments, and the lumbar spine. 

You’re probably wondering how these misalignment occurs? It is common that the birthing process, diaper changing, slips and falls, sleeping positions and even baby carriers can add excess pressure to the spinal column. This negatively influences the nerves creating an interference with the brain-body communication. It is important to understand that the brain and spinal cord work together, on an intricate level, to power every process that takes place in our bodies. Everyone is subject to having interference with nerve signals occur, and children are no exception. 

Once it has been identified that nerve interference is present, a gentle adjustment is applied to the spinal segment in order to relieve the pressure. This restores proper signals from the brain to the bladder and its sphincter, resulting in better bladder control and dry nights.

So yes, this can all be resolved with a simple, effective, chiropractic adjustment. How cool is that? If your child is having bedwetting issues, please click here to schedule a consultation. We would love to help!