Help! My child is still wetting the bed. What can I do?

Does your child wake up to a soggy, wet bed every morning? Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is far more common than many parents realise. Around 10% of children still wet the bed at age seven, and it’s two to three times more common in boys than in girls.

As well as the never-ending laundry pile, bedwetting can also mean your child is too embarrassed to attend sleepovers or overnight school trips. And while it can feel very frustrating and knock a child’s self-esteem, it’s important to remember that this is a developmental milestone which can take some children longer to achieve than others.

This blog is for you if you are eager for your child to join the ‘dry bed club’ soon, and want to explore if anything is functionally or nutritionally holding them back.

Understanding their developmental timeline

Nighttime bladder control typically develops between the ages of three and five, although boys, as well as neurodivergent children, may take a little longer. It is also very common for bedwetting to continue beyond this stage, and at age ten, about one in 100 children still experience regular bedwetting.

This is not a sign of laziness or poor parenting, and it’s simply a developmental delay in bladder control and bladder fullness. Most children do eventually grow out of bedwetting, especially when supported with kindness and patience by friends and family.

There’s a common myth that bedwetters sleep too deeply and therefore don’t wake up when their bladder is full, but research shows that this isn’t true. It is more likely that these children have immature bladder muscle control, which means that their bladders automatically empty when they are full, without them even realising it.

Bedwetting is often due to a delay in the maturity of the central nervous system. This is partly due to the need for myelin formation (the coating of nerves) to be fully developed enough to help the brain and bladder communicate with each other effectively, especially during sleep.

In some cases, the body hasn’t yet developed enough vasopressin, a hormone produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland. Vasopressin helps the body retain water by reducing urine production, especially at night. Low night-time vasopressin levels can mean the bladder becomes extremely full, which can understandably lead to wet accidents. Many parents of bedwetting children say that the volume of urine in the night nappy or in the bed is surprisingly large, and this delay in vasopressin production helps to explain why.

Constipation can be a hidden culprit

One of the most overlooked causes of bedwetting is constipation. If a child isn’t passing a significant bowel movement daily, then the build-up of poo in the lower bowel can press against the bladder, triggering frequent urination, both during the day and at night.

Doctors often prescribe laxatives as a first step to help the bowels empty; however, there are also several natural ways to support regular bowel movements. Magnesium citrate is a gentle food supplement that can help soften stools. Foods like flaxseeds, prunes and kiwi fruit are great picks for promoting regular bowel movements and softening stools. And don’t forget hydration, as drinking enough water is key to preventing stools from becoming too hard.

Certain live or friendly bacterial strains can also be helpful if a child gets bunged up easily. The strain Bacillus coagulans can help to maintain bowel regularity in children when taken daily for eight weeks, and it can also help with that horrid feeling of incomplete evacuation or reduce the likelihood of pain associated with pooing.

Rule out infections

If your child frequently wets the bed and the urine smells unusually strong, or if they are also having daytime accidents, it is a good idea to check them for a urinary tract infection (UTI). Your GP can run a simple urine test and prescribe antibiotics if needed. If they suddenly wet the bed, having been dry for a long time then it is also vital to check them for type 1 diabetes.

Another infection to consider is streptococcus, which can cause tonsillitis, a sore throat or scarlet fever. In some children, a strep infection can also trigger a condition called PANDAS (Paediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infection). PANDAS can also show up as anxiety, OCD-like behaviours and tics. A key indicator of PANDAS is also sudden increased daytime urinary urgency, as well as a sudden onset of bedwetting. So if you see a sudden change in your child for the worse, it is essential to see your GP or a PANDAS expert.

Threadworms are another possible culprit of bedwetting, as they can disturb your child’s sleep. In one study of children aged 4-7, approximately 51% of those infected with threadworms wet the bed, and the bedwetting decreased significantly when the worm infection was treated. This is because threadworm causes horrid itching and irritation around the anus and in the vagina and urethra in girls. In turn, this can lead to a heightened urge to urinate and bedwetting incidents.

Nutritional support for bladder control

Nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting hormonal signalling, including vasopressin production and the maturity of the central nervous system, which in turn aids in nighttime bladder control. Three nutrients stand out here, which are omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and vitamin B12:

Omega-3 helps support healthy vasopressin levels, and the healthy fats found in oily fish may also enhance hydration regulation by improving the function of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. These essential fatty acids are found in salmon, sardines, anchovies, trout, and mackerel, as well as in organic whole milk, flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, and hulled hemp seeds. If your child isn’t eating enough of these foods regularly, then a good-quality omega-3 supplement may help.

Vitamin D, gained from sunshine, oily fish, organic whole milk and outdoor-reared meat, can indirectly help the regulation of vasopressin, and it may influence fluid retention and bladder control through the regulation of calcium metabolism and kidney function. A 2021 study found that kids who wet their bed had lower levels of vitamin D compared to those who were dry at night.

Vitamin B12 is also a deficiency to look out for, and consuming enough vitamin B12 is vital for central nervous system maturity and myelin formation. You get vitamin B12 from eating animal-based foods such as meat, liver, eggs, shellfish, fish and dairy products.

In a 2025 study, around 78% of the 150 bedwetters tested were found to have a deficiency in their serum vitamin B12 levels. And around 41% also had low vitamin D levels. When they were supplemented with both vitamin B12 and vitamin D over 77% of the kids became dry through the night, and they did not require Desmopressin therapy (which is the standard bedwetting medication).

Interestingly, omega-3 and vitamin D also work together for children with bedwetting issues. A breakthrough study in 2018 found that 45% of children aged 7 to 15 years old became dry at night within eight weeks of taking a daily 1,000iu vitamin D supplement alongside 1,000mg of omega-3.

Nutrient deficiencies can affect kids in such different ways, and understanding the link between needing enough omega-3, vitamin D and B12 for nighttime bladder control may be their only symptom of these deficiencies.

Emotional support and independence

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that bedwetting is not your child’s fault. It’s not something they can control, and punishing them will only make things harder, and any feeling of shame may be counterproductive.

Instead, focus on supporting their independence. Let them help change their bedding, choose their pyjamas, and take pride in their nighttime routine. And then use waterproof mattress protectors and washable bed pads to make clean-up easier and less stressful.

Celebrate dry nights with gentle encouragement, and don’t make a big deal out of accidents. Your calm, kind approach will help your child feel safe and supported, and that emotional security is often the key to their progress.

Round up

Children do eventually achieve consistent dry nights, and the more relaxed you are about it, the easier the journey will be. Bedwetting is simply a developmental stage, and some children take longer than others to reach it. So, please take a deep breath, stock up on mattress protectors and remember that this time in their life will pass and be forgotten.

If you’re feeling stuck in a rut and you are fed up with soggy sheets and piles of washing, or your child is embarrassed about going on sleepovers, then reach out to our NatureDoc clinical team for 1 to 1 bowel and bladder support. There are so many gentle, effective ways to help your child join the ‘Dry Bed Club’!

References

• Bedwetting and Its Association With Developmental Milestones in Early Childhood
• Nocturnal enuresis in children and young people: NICE clinical guidelines
• Management and treatment of nocturnal enuresis-an updated standardization document from the International Children’s Continence Society
• The impact of constipation on lower urinary tract function and treatment response in patients with non-monosymptomatic enuresis
• Occult and semi-occult constipation in children with monosymptomatic or non monosymptomatic enuresis
• Influence of constipation on enuresis  
• Association between constipation and childhood nocturnal enuresis in Taiwan: a population-based matched case-control study
• Facts4Life (Threadworms)
• Fifteen-minute consultation: Threadworm in children
• The post-treatment effects of enterobiasis on the occurrence of enuresis among children in Calabar, Nigeria
• The Relationship Between Enterobius Vermicularis Infection And Nocturnal Enuresis
• Decreased vitamin D levels in children with primary mono-symptomatic nocturnal enuresis
• Effect of vitamin D and omega-3 on nocturnal enuresis of 7-15-year-old children  
• Vitamin D and vitamin B12 profiles in children with primary nocturnal enuresis, an analytical cross-sectional study
• Relationships between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and nocturnal enuresis in five- to seven-year-old children
• A Novel Approach to the Management of Children with Primary Nocturnal Enuresis
• Relationship between serum vitamin B12 levels and primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis: A prospective case-control study
• Vitamin B12, folate and iron levels in primary nocturnal enuresis
• Cessation of Nocturnal Enuresis after Intervention with Methylcobalamin in an 18-Year-Old Patient with Autism
• Decreased vitamin b(12) levels in children with nocturnal enuresis