Are they links between feeding and night bedwetting

If you have a child who wets the bed, you’ve probably heard lots of rumors about nutritional bedwetting solutions.

Limit liquids after 6 p.m. Avoid orange juice. Steer clear of spicy food.

In an effort to put an end to your child’s bedwetting problem, you might be tempted to try them all. But before you do, keep in mind that making unnecessary dietary changes that don’t work in an attempt to stop bedwetting could make you and your child even more unhappy and upset than you are now.

Doctors are very cautious when it comes to blaming specific foods for bedwetting, also called nocturnal enuresis, because there’s very little evidence to back up the claims and much of it is anecdotal.

Here, WebMD investigates the myths and realities behind five food strategies to help control bedwetting in children.

Spicy Foods and Bedwetting: Myth

Has taco night become a thing of the past at your house since you heard that spicy foods might trigger bedwetting? If so, it’s time to break out the salsa and grab some guacamole – experts say there is no evidence spicy foods trigger nocturnal enuresis.

The myth stems from the fact that spicy foods are known to irritate the bladder in some people and doctors may recommend that people with urinary incontinence avoid them.  But research hasn’t found a connection between the consumption of spicy foods and bedwetting.

Citrus and Bedwetting: Another Myth

Like spicy foods, citrus fruits — think oranges, lemons, and limes — can be bladder irritants, owing to their acidity. So you might think you’re doing your child a favor by taking orange juice and lemonade off the table.

But, as is the case with hot and spicy foods, medical research has not demonstrated a link between eating citrus fruits and children’s bedwetting, except possibly in rare instances of food allergy to citrus in some bedwetters.

Food Allergens and Bedwetting: The Jury’s Still Out

Experts aren’t yet sure whether food allergies contribute to bedwetting in some children. There is limited evidence suggesting that, in a very small percentage of cases, eliminating food triggers from the diet may help stop bedwetting.

For example, one study of 21 children with enuresis who also suffered from migraines and/or hyperkinetic behavior found that the enuresis went away in more than half of the children when they were put on a limited, low-allergen diet. But before you start making changes to your child’s diet, keep in mind that this is a small-scale study done on a very specific population of children.

Some of the foods that could possibly have an effect on bedwetting include dairy products and artificial colorings.

Caffeine and Bedwetting: Fact

Caffeine, whether in food or drink, acts as a diuretic, meaning that it stimulates the bladder to produce more urine. So, one bedwetting solution that many experts recommend is to avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening.

Just because your child doesn’t drink coffee doesn’t mean he isn’t ingesting caffeine. Teas, colas, and energy drinks often contain caffeine. And one food that many children love, chocolate, also contains caffeine. So you might want to be cautious about hot chocolate and desserts such as brownies or chocolate ice cream.

You don’t need to add insult to injury and ban these foods from your child’s diet — just try to make sure they’re enjoyed earlier in the day so the effects have worn off before bedtime.

Liquids Before Bed and Bedwetting: Fact

The reason your child wets the bed is not just because there is too much liquid in the bladder. Think of it this way – even if you drank a gallon of water before bed, you’d wake up to empty your bladder rather than wetting the bed.

Nonetheless, limiting the amount of liquid your child drinks before going to sleep makes common sense because it will delay the filling of the bladder and give your child some extra time before bedwetting occurs. This added time could give your child more of a chance to wake up before wetting the bed.

Keep in mind that drinks aren’t the only way your child gets liquids — certain foods, such as soup, yogurt, and many fruits and vegetables, have a very high water content.

Tips for Finding Bedwetting Food Triggers

Because everyone is different, you and your child might want to determine if you can figure out any food triggers that seem to affect whether your child wets the bed.

Experts recommend keeping a bedwetting journal to record incidences of bedwetting and identify any patterns to the accidents.

Some children become quite interested in designing their own hypotheses to see whether certain actions or foods have an effect on staying dry overnight. Working to identify their own personal bedwetting triggers can be beneficial for kids on two fronts:

• It gives them a sense of control over their bedwetting problem and allows them to take some responsibility for trying to fix it.
• If they do identify a food they think prevents or causes bedwetting, having or avoiding that food may actually help, even if it is only due to the placebo effect.

Putting Nutritional Bedwetting Strategies to Work

If you make the decision to have your child avoid certain foods in the evenings in an attempt to control your child’s bedwetting problem, make sure the dietary changes don’t come across as punishment for bad behavior.

Many children who wet the bed, especially older kids, are embarrassed and ashamed by their nocturnal enuresis. And, often, parents become increasingly frustrated and angry over the seemingly never-ending clean-up. This can cause anxiety in the children, which can be psychologically distressing and may make them even more likely to wet the bed.

So, it’s important to make sure your child understands that the strategies you’re trying are an attempt to solve the problem, not a consequence for misbehaving.

source:   http://www.webmd.com/parenting/bedwetting-solutions-8/bedwetting-diet?page=2