Bedwetting: Are your child’s daytime potty habits normal?

Please take a moment to answer the questions below, to determine if your child’s daytime potty habits are as good as they should be. Your answers should be as honest and accurate as possible.

 

Has your child ever experienced any of the following?

• Difficulty potty training
  
  


• Never completely potty trained
  
  


• History of constipation
  
  


• Urinates frequently (frequency)
  
  


• Does not urinate often (holding)
  
  


• Avoids using the restroom (wiggles, squats, dances)
  
  


• Avoids restroom during certain activities (TV, playing, etc.)
  
  


• Needs to urinate quickly (urgency)
  
  


• Difficulty starting urine stream (hesitancy)
  
  


• Strains or pushes to urinate
  
  


• Urinates in a hurry (pit stop)
  
  


• Does not urinate first thing in the morning
  
  


• Have daytime accidents (incontinence)
  
  


• Cannot get to the restroom quickly enough
  
  


• Leaks with laughing, coughing, etc.
  
  


• Dribbles after urinating
  
  


• Has never had a dry day (daytime)
  
  


• Have hard, large, or painful stools
  
  


• Have bowel accidents (encopresis)
  
  


• Holds bowel movements
  
  


• Has accidents (urine or stool) that occur at certain times or
  places
  
  


• History of blood in the urine
  
  


• Has belly pain at belly button or below
  
  


• Stains underwear—pee or poop
  
  


• History of urinary tract infections

If you answered yes to any of these, your child may have a problem with daytime potty habits that are contributing to their bedwetting problem. If you answered yes to several of these questions, then your child most likely has significant daytime urine and bowel problems that should be addressed in order to help with the nighttime wetting.

 

– Dr. D. Preston Smith

 

Dr. Smith is board certified and he has authored or co-authored many articles, papers, chapters, and books in Urology and Pediatric Urology. His research has been presented throughout the world. Dr. Smith’s dedication to helping children with urologic problems inspired him to establish PottyMD.