Bed wetting is a fairly common childhood condition, especially before 6 years old. Children 6 and under do not usually need any special treatment for bed wetting. Boys wet the bed more often than girls, and tend to stop wetting the bed later. Taking magnesium supplements for bed wetting can help. Magnesium is the fourth most common mineral in the body and important in many body functions.
Bedwetting and Conventional Treatment
Bed wetting, though not usually the sign of a serious disorder, can disrupt family life. For many children older than 6, bed wetting can be a source of discomfort and frustration. Conventional medicine treats bed wetting after the child is 6 years old, and the first step is behavioral therapy. Using this method, the child is taught awareness of his full bladder by being woken in the night to urinate. Asking the child to do laundry and change his sheets is a part of this therapy. Praising the child for his efforts is also important. If behavioral therapy does not work, prescription medications can be given. There are two main medications for bed wetting. One is a tricyclic antidepressant called Imipramine and the other is a drug called Desmopressin acetate (DDAVP). Both drugs will stop bed wetting, but not cure it. When the medication is stopped, bed wetting will continue. The drugs also have side effects including dry mouth and flushing of the cheeks. It is important to realize that, of the children who wet the bed after age 6, 15 percent develop into non bedwetters annually, so time is on the child's side.
Magnesium and Bedwetting Connection
Taking magnesium supplements for bed wetting has proven successful for many children, especially those who also have ADHD or who are autistic. According to Starobrat-Hermelin in a 1998 article in the journal Annales Academiae Medicae Stetenesis, a Polish medical journal, a conclusive link was found in magnesium supplementation and bed wetting. The children studied all also had ADHD as well. The study used hair analysis and blood serum testing to check for levels of zinc, magnesium, copper, iron and calcium in 116 children who had ADHD. Though this study was specifically for children with ADHD, parents have taken the information and begun to see a connection between magnesium supplementation and bed wetting. Also, according to a study in the January 2000 issue of Pediatric Nephrology, children who bed wet excrete more sodium and magnesium in their night urine than usual.
About Magnesium
According to the National Institutes for Health, many Americans do not get enough magnesium. The primary sources for magnesium in the diet are green leafy vegetables, and whole grains are good sources of magnesium. We also get magnesium from tap water, but levels vary. Taking a magnesium supplement balanced with calcium and potassium is relatively safe, but it is possible to over dose. Calcium, magnesium and potassium supplements are readily available at natural foods stores, and many are made specifically for children.
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