Is it OK for me to wake my 4-year-old son to go to the bathroom before I go to bed myself? I've heard that it isn't a good idea because doing so will mess up his signal to wake himself and go. Is that true?
Answer
It is absolutely OK to wake him. Anything that contributes to his success is helpful, and you need not fear "messing up" his "signal." The reason children wet the bed is related more to bladder capacity than to the ability to wake up, and waking him up will not affect the signal sent to the brain by his bladder.
David L Fay, MD
Family Physician
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