Bed Wetting
| Bed Wetting: Boys vs. Girls | | | Shaquenta Ruffin | 6/14/2013 |
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Like chalk and cheese, boys and girls are different in so many ways and bedwetting is no different. Nocturnal bedwetting affects twice as many boys as girls. Experts are not exactly sure why but there have been medical studies done which suggest that girls tend to develop bladder control before boys. Dr. Michael Ritchey, a Pediatric urologist, agrees and says this could be attributed to the fact that the pressure to urinate is higher in boys, affecting their ability to hold urine. In most cases bedwetting is caused by a slower than normal development of the child’s bladder control. Prior to age 13, boys wet the bed twice as often as girls. By the time adolescence comes around, these numbers equal out. This may be due to the fact that boys’ bodies develop at a slower rate (during the early years the muscles of the bladder for a 5 year old girl are likely to be stronger than the equivalent 5 year old boy). However, no one single reason has been identified for the prevalence of enuresis among boys in comparison to girls. Interestingly, girls are more likely than boys to have other bladder problems. The idea that male equals macho and that boys are supposed to be strong may lead parents to believe that bedwetting is somehow more abnormal or shameful for their son than their daughter. In reality, boys are more likely to wet the bed than girls (some studies report that male incidents of bedwetting are twice as likely than female incidents), and they require just as much care and support as their female peers. Sometimes young boys will try to appear “strong” in the face of bedwetting and will appear to want no assistance from their parents, this attitude is quite natural but as a parent, it’s important we let them know that it’s ok to ask for help. Another big difference between boys and girls when it comes to bedwetting are the different rituals they have before bedtime.
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Like chalk and cheese, boys and girls are different in so many ways and bedwetting is no different. Nocturnal bedwetting affects twice as many boys as girls. Experts are not exactly sure why but there have been medical studies done which suggest that girls tend to develop bladder control before boys. Dr. Michael Ritchey, a Pediatric urologist, agrees and says this could be attributed to the fact that the pressure to urinate is higher in boys, affecting their ability to hold urine. In most cases bedwetting is caused by a slower than normal development of the child’s bladder control. Prior to age 13, boys wet the bed twice as often as girls. By the time adolescence comes around, these numbers equal out. This may be due to the fact that boys’ bodies develop at a slower rate (during the early years the muscles of the bladder for a 5 year old girl are likely to be stronger than the equivalent 5 year old boy). However, no one single reason has been identified for the prevalence of enuresis among boys in comparison to girls. Interestingly, girls are more likely than boys to have other bladder problems. The idea that male equals macho and that boys are supposed to be strong may lead parents to believe that bedwetting is somehow more abnormal or shameful for their son than their daughter. In reality, boys are more likely to wet the bed than girls (some studies report that male incidents of bedwetting are twice as likely than female incidents), and they require just as much care and support as their female peers. Sometimes young boys will try to appear “strong” in the face of bedwetting and will appear to want no assistance from their parents, this attitude is quite natural but as a parent, it’s important we let them know that it’s ok to ask for help. Another big difference between boys and girls when it comes to bedwetting are the different rituals they have before bedtime.
References: (William Sears, 2013) (Australia, 2013) (Australia, KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION , 2013) (John Mersch, 2013) Works Cited Australia, K.-C. (2013). KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION. Retrieved from http://www.drynites.co.nz/ Australia, K.-C. (2013). KIMBERLY-CLARK CORPORATION . Retrieved from Boy vs Girl Bedwetters – Which is more common?: http://www.drynites.com.au/bedwetters John Mersch, M. F. (2013). WebMD, Inc. Retrieved from Bedwetting: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/bedwetting/article_em.htm William Sears, M. a. (2013). Retrieved from 10 Bedwetting Facts Paents Should Know: http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-problems/bedwetting/10-bedwetting-facts-parents-should-know