Nighttime bed-wetting, called enuresis by doctors, affects about 40 percent of 3-year-olds, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. By age 5, it is down to about 10 percent, according to the National Institutes of Health. By age 6 or 7, 5 percent of children wet the bed at night, says Dr. Mouin Seikaly, medical director of the Kidney and Gynecology Center at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas.

The exact cause of bed-wetting is not known, though doctors suspect it is either due to a small urinary bladder capacity or to the fact that these children cannot reduce the volume of urine at night like those children who do not have a bed-wetting problem. “Nighttime bed-wetting appears to result from a combination of physical and behavioral factors,” Dr. Seikaly adds. “We also know that the problem becomes worse under stress.”

But Dr. Seikaly says parents should understand that you do not cure enuresis; the child outgrows this condition as he or she grows older. Management of the condition is directed at reassuring the family that they should avoid scolding the child for bed-wetting. This will only make the problem worse. Dr. Seikaly emphasizes it takes an element of discipline and understanding to manage enuresis. “You will need to keep your child on a schedule, restrict fluids close to bedtime and awaken your child two to three hours after going to bed so he or she can go to the bathroom,” says Dr. Seikaly.

Several other treatment options are available; these need to be discussed with your child’s pediatrician as only he or she can recommend what is best for your child. Your primary care provider may offer medication when a child is 6 years old and still having a problem. After six months or so, doctors will begin to wean the child off medication to see if he or she has gained better control.