The result is that the child ignores the body s signal of a full bladder. In these cases, the bladder can overfill and leak urine. These children may also develop urinary tract infections. When a child has daytime wetting, his or her pediatrician will check for the cause. Some special tests may be done to help make the diagnosis.
Treatment depends on the cause of the wetting problem and on the child s age.
Treating constipation often results in an improvement. A medication called an anti-cholinergic, may be helpful for children with small bladder capacity due to frequent bladder contractions. Since their bladders may not empty well, it is important for these children to relax, use good posture and take the time to empty their bladder completely. As a rule, parents should never punish children for daytime or nighttime wetting since these problems are truly not under the child s control. The best ways to handle these problems are to provide support and understanding to the child and to work with the pediatrician to determine the cause and appropriate treatment.