Around 100,000 Australian children wet the bed last night but bedwetting is a treatable condition which may be cured with the use of an alarm system according to the Department of Health and Families.
Although most people grow out of Bedwetting - medically referred to as nocturnal enuresis - it continues to affect some people into adulthood.
Department of Health and Families (DHF) Continence Clinical Nurse Consultant Sandra Clyne said contrary to popular belief, bedwetting is not often caused by psychological problems such as stress or fear.
"Bedwetting can be caused by a number of causes including inability to wake from a deep sleep, an overactive bladder and overproduction of urine during the night.
"Bedwetting is actually more common than many people think. Last night 100,000 Australian children wet their bed. In a class of 5-year olds, five of them will wet the bed. At the age of seven, there will be two who wet the bed in a class of 30. Even in High School, one child in 60 may still wet the bed," said Ms Clyne.
And the condition often runs in the family.
"If one parent has a history of bedwetting there is a 40% chance that their child will as well. If both parents have wet the bed the odds increase to 77%.
"But families should understand that effective treatments are available from their local clinic. Children can become dry at night.
"An Enuresis Alarm system can be pinned onto pyjamas and contains a sensor which, when it becomes even slightly wet, will sound an alarm to wake the sleeper. Along with certain medication the bedwetting situation can either be cured or become perfectly manageable.
"It's a simple solution to a wee problem," said Ms Clyne.
Visit your local Community Clinic for more information.
Media Contact: Chelsea Rogers, DHF Media Liaison Officer 0401 114 113
Release date: 7 August 2008
