Bedwetting, medically termed as Nocturnal enuresis is a condition wherein the child unknowingly passes urine during sleep, mostly at night. Ayurveda acknowledges this condition as Shayyamutra. The word Shayyamutra denotes ‘shayya’ meaning while at rest or sleeping and ‘mutra’ meaning urine. This usually occurs when the infant doesn't develop a strong urge to urinate to wake up from the sleep. Generally, babies or infants urinate round the clock and with time, when they transition into toddlers, they urinate only during the waking hours. By age 4 to 5 most children stop bedwetting but in case your kid still urinates while at sleep, do consult a doctor to find out any underlying health anomalies.
Common Causes Of Bed-Wetting
The most common causative factors of bed-wetting in children include; excessive intake of fluid during the late evening, insufficiency of the urinary bladder to hold the pee, delayed bladder maturation, blockage or constipation, excessive intake of sweet foods, early childhood diabetes, genetic factors, excess sleep, or urinary tract infection. In certain cases, bed-wetting can also happen due to emotional immaturity, a sense of insecurity, a conflict between parents or siblings, nightmares, stress, or anxiety. Also Read: Bed-wetting Can Affect A Child’s Self-esteem
For effectively treating this paediatric issue, it is important to find out the root cause of it. In case, the bed-wetting tendency is due to some emotional or psychological problem, address the issue right away by proper counselling. It is necessary to not scold the child as it aggravates the issue, instead parents should be supportive and encourage the child that it’s a temporary problem and would go away soon enough and reward the child on the days there is no bed-wetting.
If you are looking for natural ways to treat sudden urination at night, dive into this article to know more.
Home Remedies For Bed-Wetting:
Cinnamon
Apart from increasing the immunity and providing relief from cough and cold, cinnamon is extremely beneficial in controlling bed-wetting issues. Chewing on a cinnamon bark once a day would be helpful and if the child refuses to chew, even powdered cinnamon bark if fed once would also help to slowly reduce bed-wetting tendencies. Also Read: Cinnamon: 5 Ayurvedic Benefits of This Health Promoting Spice
Olive Oil
Enriched with Vitamin A and Omega acids, olive oil is already famed for its use in the development of brain functioning in kids. But apart from keeping the skin and hair healthy, it is also pivotal to treat bed-wetting in kids.
Just heat and rub the oil on the lower abdominal region of the kid and gently massage in circular motions. If done regularly before sleeping, it is bound to show results within a fortnight.
Apple cider vinegar
Although ACV has innumerable uses, little did we know that bed-wetting is one of them. A little amount of ACV when included in the diet, not only boosts immunity and prevents cough and cold but also prevents any kind of stomach or urinary infections. It also regulates the acid levels in the stomach and thereby, reduces the urge to urinate frequently.
Amla
The Indian gooseberry has wondrous benefits for adults and kids alike. This boost of Vitamin C and antioxidants not only shields your kid from any kind of infection but also promotes digestion and prevents constipation. By preventing urinary or intestinal infections, it is quite helpful in case of sudden urination while at sleep.
Make a kadha by mixing 1 tsp of amla powder in warm water and sprinkle some black pepper in it. This herbal concoction is quintessential to slowly cure bed-wetting tendency in kids.
Jaggery
Several researches show that if the kid’s body is warm, then he or she doesn’t wet the bed while at sleep. Jaggery, a healthier and alternative of regular sugar is a good source of iron and excellent for the stomach. When added to the regular diet of the kid, it keeps the body warm and prevents bed-wetting.
Mix a spoonful of jaggery with warm milk and feed your kid to gradually stop bed-wetting.
