Question Title: Child still wet's bed at night

Dear Marcos,
Enuresis is defined as an involuntary discharge of urine but is imprecisely used to describe bed wetting. Approximately 15% of normal children still wet the bed at age 5 and this gradually becomes more of a concern once the child enters school. It is not until the age of 7 that dryness is expected by your child’s peers and a work-up should be started(some doctor will start as early as age 4). With a spontaneous resolution rate of about 15% per year, I give my patients the 15,5,1 rule. 15% of children are wet at age 5, 5% are wet at age 10, and 1% are wet at age 15. Those that are wet each year, about 15% will spontaneously dry up.
Children such as your son who have never been completely dry for a sustained period of time are termed primary enuretics. Unfortunately, the development of urinary control is not always final with approximately 25% of those who obtain dry experiencing a period of relapse.
As a group, children with enuresis are biologically and physiologically normal and similar to those other children who have obtained bladder control. A variety of theories have been proposed to explain enuresis including a developmental delay, sleep abnormalities, genetic factors and stress. It is not likely that any one theory will explain each patient, but usually a combination.
I would not punish your son, but rather reenforce the positive. Make a calender and give him a reward for the days and weeks that he remains dry(stickers work well). Gradually increase the amount of time for him to get the reward. Punishment for bed wetting can only make the process harder for your son.
This information is provided for general medical educational purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653-6568).

Sincerely,
HFHS M.D.-AK
*keyword:Enuresis