Bedwetting in children is a lot more common than people think but some parents and children alike can feel embarrassed to admit it's something they are dealing with and ask for advice. It is estimated that 10% of all 4-15 year olds will wet the bed at some point, most commonly occurring in those under 8 and slightly more prevalent in boys compared to girls.

Bedwetting may only be viewed as a temporary problem by some parents who believe it is just a phase the child will grow out of whereas others may feel greater pressure to overcome what they can see as a 'problem'.

The medical term for bedwetting is nocturnal enuresis which is defined as involuntary urination at night after the age at which bladder control should have been established, which is usually from the age of 5. There are two types:

• Primary enuresis is the most common form occurring where the child has never been dry at night.
• Secondary enuresis begins 6 months or more after the child has been dry at night in children over the age of 5 years.

Primary enuresis is usually due to physical immaturity whereas secondary enuresis may have more varied causes.