Help! My son is 5 and has started wetting the bed again after being night trained for a year. Could this have anything to do with our new baby? What should I do?
Answer
When a child is night trained for a year or so like your son, and then starts bedwetting again, there are a couple things you might want to consider. It could be a psychological adjustment to the new baby at home, but you should visit either your family doctor or pediatrician to check for a urinary tract infection. Once the physical causes are ruled out, you can then move on to helping your son adjust to the new family member either at home or by talking with a child psychologist. Any change in the customary family home life for a child can cause disturbances in their behavior (in this case, bedwetting). It is not uncommon and usually works itself out as the older siblings become comfortable with the new addition to the family.
John Dorsey,M.D.
Pediatrician
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