The child is urinating frequently, could it be a sign of an overactive bladder?

Bedwetting is a common thing experienced by every child up to a certain age. Usually, this problem does not last long because the habit of frequent urinating children will stop by itself, at least until the child enters school age.

However, do not underestimate it if the habit is not reduced or it interferes with daily activities. It is possible to have a bladder disease in the child. What are the signs, causes, and how to overcome them?

Can an overactive bladder occur in children?

Overactive bladder aka overactive bladder is a condition when the function of the bladder which is supposed to store urine actually experiences problems. Anyone at any age can experience an overactive bladder, including children.

Someone who has an overactive bladder usually has difficulty controlling the urge to urinate. As a result, the child will often urinate or pass urine suddenly (urinary incontinence).

It is important to know that an overactive bladder is different from the habit of wetting the bed that is often experienced by children. The reason is, the habit of bedwetting is usually experienced by children who are still quite young.

As children develop, they can feel and regulate themselves when to urinate. Bedwetting is also more common at night during a longer sleep period, although some children experience it during the day.

This is clearly not the same as an overactive bladder that can occur in children. If the problem is an overactive bladder, the child will urinate frequently during the day, evening, or night because of the difficulty controlling it.

Your little one will also feel a strong enough urge to urinate suddenly. In fact, they may suddenly want to urinate even though their bladder is not full of urine.

What causes children to urinate frequently?

There are various causes of frequent urination in children. Every child may experience different conditions, but here are the most common causes.

• Experiencing allergies. Foods that cause allergies can cause the bladder to be overactive.
• Experiencing excessive anxiety. Situations that make your child feel scared, anxious, and anxious can trigger the bladder to overwork.
• Consume lots of caffeine. Caffeine from tea, coffee, and soda can trigger an increase in body fluids so that children often want to urinate.
• Bladder structural abnormalities. Any abnormality in the structure of the bladder can make it function too active.

There are also a number of other conditions that are less common, but should not be ignored because they contribute to frequent urination. Here are among them.

• Bladder nerve damage that makes it difficult for your child to recognize the urge to urinate.
• Does not empty the entire bladder when urinating.
• Experiencing sleep disorders such as sleep apnea .

In some cases, an overactive bladder in children can also be caused by a lack of production of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). In fact, antidiuretic hormones are important for slowing down urine production, especially at night.

If the body does not produce the normal amount of the ADH hormone, urine production will continue to increase. As a result, the child's bladder becomes full faster and they have difficulty holding back the urge to urinate.

What are the symptoms experienced by children when urinating frequently?

Symptoms of an overactive bladder in children are somewhat difficult to recognize because they may look similar to bedwetting. However, you can recognize the main characteristic, namely that the child is urinating frequently.

In addition, here are other symptoms that parents need to recognize:

• Frequent urination, but little urine that comes out (anuria) or doesn't even come out at all.
• Frequent bed wetting during the day in children over 3 years of age, as well as at night in children over 4 years of age.
• Quite often experience urinary tract infections.
• The frequency of urination increases.
• Disturbed sleep and not restful.

How to deal with frequent urination in children

First of all, the doctor will provide non-medical treatment in the form of bladder control exercises. Here, the child learns to set a schedule for urinating to be more regular and spaced, for example once every 2 hours and added over time.

Apart from bladder training, there are other treatments called double voiding . You will practice urinating two or three times each time you go to the bathroom to make sure the bladder is completely empty.

Training biofeedback can also be applied as a therapy to treat overactive bladder in children. With the help of a therapist, it will help your child learn how to focus on the bladder muscles.

Furthermore, children also practice relaxing the bladder when urinating. If you still urinate frequently, your doctor may provide you with medication and train your child to strengthen their bladder muscles.

Medicines to treat an overactive bladder in children are usually aimed at reducing the frequency of urinating. During the various treatments above, parents also need to apply the following things to their children.

• Avoid caffeinated foods and drinks so that the bladder is not overly active.
• Avoid drinking too much before bed.
• Get the child used to urinating on a schedule, for example, every 2 hours.
• Familiarize children with healthy urination habits, such as relaxing the bladder muscles completely and urinating completely.

Not only adults, children can also have an overactive bladder. This condition is troublesome for both children and parents, but there are many ways you can overcome it.

As a parent, your role is to monitor your baby's urination habits, including the frequency and whether he or she is urinating completely. Do not hesitate to consult a urologist if there are things you do not understand.

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