Most children outgrow bedwetting, but not all

Years ago we started a family ritual. Nieces and nephews around the age of six or seven were invited to come to our house on the lake to go fishing, swimming and sleep over. Sleeping over was the big deal, often their first slumber party without mom or dad.

This tradition stopped happening when my youngest great-nephew announced that he couldn’t come to visit. “Couldn’t” was the operative word. So, naturally, I asked him why not? “I’d like to come, he said. “But I can’t because I wet the bed.” Oh.

Nocturnal enuresis is a common problem in children. Kid’s Health website states that 13 percent of 6-year-olds wet the bed, while five percent of 10-year-olds do. It can sometimes continue through teen years and in some cases throughout adulthood.

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