The ABC’s of Bedwetting: S

The complete bedwetting dictionary: S

Sleep Dribbling:

Dribbling refers to the involuntary release of urine during the course of the day. Children between the ages of four and eight are most likely to suffer from this condition.

It is relatively easy to treat dribbling with targeted exercises combined with cognitive behavioral therapy. Through this holistic treatment, a child is taught to recognize the signals that the filled bladder sends to the brain, and to respond appropriately to those signals.

However, sleep dribbling, or dribbling during sleep, is less common. Due to the fact that the signal from the bladder to the child is not recognized, the child relaxes the muscle of the sphincter.

After starting to urinate, the child contracts the sphincter muscle to stop the process. Since the liquid does not reach the sheet, this procedure usually results in a wet mark on the child’s pants.

As the child corrects himself by stopping the flow of urine during sleep, sleep dribbling is actually a positive development, as it indicates that the child is partially using his subconscious restraint mechanism during sleep.

A child who dribbles while asleep is in a much more advanced stage compared to a child who wets himself completely, indicating that the child has not yet acquired any new skills.

While it is still possible to treat a child who dribbles in his or her sleep, it takes longer than usual since the alarm is less effective than in cases of ‘regular’ bedwetting.