Boy under bed covers

Bedwetting: Two Contributing Factors

Bedwetting, also known as Nocturnal Enuresis, is defined as involuntary voiding while sleeping in people five years of age or older. Bedwetting spans across multiple ages, affecting about 20% of the population at age five, 10% at the age of ten, and 3% at the age of fifteen. There are two things I’ve found to be highly correlated with kids that have bedwetting issues.

  1. They have what’s called a retained Spinal Galant Reflex. This is a primitive reflex you’re born with but it should go away at some point in the first year of life. For whatever reason, if it didn’t go away naturally, you have to manually get rid of it. If someone still has this reflex, the nerves along their low back will be overactive. These are also the nerves that are going to the bladder. Kids who have this retained primitive reflex are also likely to have excessive fidgeting, poor concentration, and be described as the kid with “ants in their pants.”

To see if your child has this reflex, have them go on their hands and knees and with a paint brush or the back of a pen, stroke along their low back about ½ inch from the spine (on their skin, not through a shirt), then gradually move further and further out from the spine. Do one side of the spine, then the other. What you’ll see if they have this reflex is they’ll move their back in a “C” shape away from the stimulus as if they’re getting tickled. If they do have this reflex there are specific exercises you can do to get rid of it.

  1. They have poor balance and posture. This is most likely because they have delayed maturity of the motor cortex area of the brain. This part of the brain is not only in control of your balance and posture but also your voluntary control of voiding. Strengthening this area of the brain through core exercises will not only address balance and posture but their ability to have more control with their bladder.

If you’d like to schedule a complimentary primitive reflex assessment or are curious to know more about this issue, we’d be happy to answer any of your questions on the phone: 402-504-4676 or through email: drstephen@restorechiropracticcenter.com

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