Bed wetting checklist

If your child is aged over 6 and still regularly bed wetting, then it is important to visit your doctor. This checklist is designed to help you to assess your child's condition before the visit.

• My child wets the bed at night more than 4 to 6 times per month.
• My child is over 6 years of age and is unhappy and uncomfortable about wetting the bed at night.
• There is a family history of bedwetting (parents, uncles, aunts, siblings, or grandparents had bedwetting as children).
• My child has great difficulty rousing from sleep and does not wake to loud noises.
• My child goes to the toilet more frequently than other children and/or goes in a hurry and/or has wetting episodes during the day.
• My child has suffered an infection in the kidneys or bladder in the past.
• My child has difficulty emptying his/her bowel.
• My child has to miss activities such as sleepovers, school camps or family holidays because of bedwetting.

Your doctor will be assessing your child’s:

• diet and drinking habits
• toileting habits
• quantity of urine passed and whether they have constipation
• whether there may be a medical condition that might be causing the bedwetting.

Source: Treat Bedwetting - the bed wetting checklist

The information provided in this article is intended as a guide only. Always consult your doctor if you or your child is suffering any medical complaint. Any websites referred to by Australian Family contain information moderated by government and medical institutions or organisations.

This article was first published in Australian Family Magazine, October 2008. Updated July 2009.