It takes some children 4 to 6 years before their bladders grow large enough to retain urine overnight. About 10 percent of children continue to wet the bed into the school years.
The best treatment is no treatment at all. Scolding, shaming, or punishment only turns a transient problem into a chronic one. Equip the child’s bed with a rubber pad and keep plenty of no-iron sheets on hand. When the child shows concern, suggest that he or she not drink anything for 2 hours before bedtime and empty the bladder just before retiring. If the child doesn’t object, wake him or her at around 11 P.M. to urinate. Or provide an alarm clock to allow the child to control the awakening. Because there may be a medical or emotional cause, discuss the situation with your child’s doctor.