What could cause a child to suddenly start wetting themselves?

Question

If a child never wets his/her pants at school and then suddenly starts doing it frequently, what could be possible reasons? The child has had this problem at home but is now doing it at school. There are not specific activities or times of the school day during which the child is doing it, and the child is not making attempts to ask to use the restroom.

I am not the child's parent. The child is nine.

Answer 1

abuse, stress, fear, medical problems, emotional problems etc.

Answer 2

How does the child react to change? Has something happened that may be upsetting him/her ? Sometimes children have a difficult time coping with change and symptoms of this are often bed wetting , wetting pants , anger , sadness or withdrawing from friends or family. This could be a physical problem but more likely this child is experiencing fear or uncertainty of some sort. Children, even when they are older often have difficulty expressing how they feel because they don't know how to identify their feelings and link it to the source of that feeling. If something feels bad they might be able to tell you that they feel bad but they most probably can't tell you why they feel bad ...... they just feel bad and don't know how to cope with that feeling.I think it would be wise for the parents to see their family physician and if they don't get the help they need then maybe someone that specializes in child behavior could help. They have much experience with the way children react to certain things and I'm sure they can help to figure out what anxieties the child may be experiencing. Take care : )

Answer 3

You did not say how old the child was but something is going on here and you need to find out what it is. Each child reacts to things differently. Have you sat him or her down starting out very casual about school and what he enjoys /dislikes about it and go into say friends and what he enjoys playing with his/her friends. Once you feel that you have his attention bring up the wetting thing and see if he/she can tell you why they are doing this. Don't confront be more like a concerned mom and make it a game. Get a calendar and some big red and blue stars tell them that they will get a red star for everyday that they don't wet their pants and a blue star if they do. But I am sure you know one thing that the child LOVES to do as a reward. First start that he has to have 5 red stars in a row to get the reward and increase it every time he makes it.Make a BIG deal out of it bring his confidence way up!!! Pretty soon you will be well on your way to a dry child.
Good luck this worked with mine.

Answer 4

I'm in middle school and I have a problem with wetting myself. It happens at school, as well as at home. It's completely by accident, though. My teachers know about this, and it feels a little uncomfortable asking to use the bathroom. Sometimes I'm so concentrated on my work that by the time I finally decide to get up and go it's impossible for me to make it. I try to hold it during classes and I'm not really supposed to go. But when I have to go extremely badly I run up to the front, tell my teacher, and sprint to the bathroom. It's really embarrassing but it feels much better when I'm relieved and dry. Let the child know about this and how much more rewarding it can be if he/she just gets up, lets the teacher know it's an emergency, and go. You could set up a rewards system too. Take it from somebody who's experienced it many times. It feels so much better just to get it over with and go.

Answer 5

Sounds like something fearful or stressful is causing this reaction. I'd ask the school counselor to talk to the child and see if something different or new has happened recently. As a parent I'd also ask if everything is ok or is there something the child wants to tell me. If nothing else ask a doctor to check and make sure nothing is medically wrong.

Answer 6

There could be many different reasons. I would advise the parents to have the child checked out by their pediatrician.


My daughter did this too. I had her checked out medically several times, and she was fine every time. Her problem was that she simply was waiting until the last minute to go. We fixed this by having her visit the bathroom several times a day. Sometimes, she went, sometimes she didn't. The daily routine has become so common place that she now does it by herself and hasn't had any accidents for about a year.

I would definitely have any medical possibilities ruled out before any other measures are taken.

Answer 7

Call your Doctor and ask for suggestions. Also be sure you don't have any medications laying around or in medicine cabinets that your son could get hold of. Teens have been known to experiment with their parents left over medications. One more thing - keep all alcohol in your house accounted for. I am not accusing your son of taking drugs or drinking, I just tried to cover the most common scenarios for your question. I hope everything works out ok for you both!

Answer 8

It could be stress, or infection in the bladder. She should take him to a urologist, and see whats happening. Also she has to have patience with him, and that's the biggest problem, some parents try to shame there child thinking that will make him stop. Talk to him and see if he even has the feeling he has to go. Or does it just come.

Answer 9

There are many and there may be none but you need to get this child to someone that can help you figure it out. Does the school offer any testing or any couseling? He may have been through something that has triggered this and he is afraid to talk about it. I don't want to upset you but it is your child and your gut must be telling you something, follow it. does he see his dad on weekends, a babysitter, any time alone with older children? Talk to someone. Good luck. I feel for you.

Answer 10

DEAR
ONE OF FOUR THINGS OK
(1) NIGHTMARES. BAD DREAMS .
(2) KIDS PICKING ON HIM ARE HER AT SCHOOL ARE NOT GETTING A LONG WITH THE TEACHERS AT THE SCHOOL.
(3) MAKING BAD GRADES FROM CLASSES HE DOES NOT UNDER STAND ? (4) REALLY SCARED YOU ARE GOING TO YELL AT HIM IF HE GETS A D ARE F ON TEST HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND AFTER YOU TOOK A WEEK TO STUDY FOR IT OK TAKE CARE PS ALSO COULD BE BUGS SNAKES MICE ETC OK. PS DEAR SIT HIM DOWN AND ASK HIM OK THEN HE IS REALLY SCARED OF SOMETHING REALLY BAD

Answer 11

this is something you need to speak to the doctor about. it could be that he is just pre-occupied and doesn't think about it or due to some kind of stress at school or something of that nature. hope this helps and everything works out ok. good luck.