Teen and preteen bed wetting, like adult bed wetting in general, is a more problem than one would initially think, though the psychological effects of the condition can be more damaging to younger adults over older adults.  As in the general population, it is estimated that 2% to 3% of all teens have more than one bedwetting incident during their time as young adults.  The embarrassment of “peeing the bed” as many teens call it can undermine confidence and impede the development of critical social skills for years to come.  For older adults night time bed wetting can be seen as an annoyance or sign of a physical health problem.  For younger adults it can severely affect their maturity and emotional growth if left untreated and unaddressed.

The causes for teen bed wetting are generally the same as the causes of bed wetting in older adults, and again the question of past history and the question of what type of nocturnal enuresis a teen is suffering from comes into play.  An adolescent who has wet his or her bed throughout childhood years would most likely be diagnosed with primary nocturnal enuresis, while a teen who only suddenly began wetting his or her bed would be classified as suffering from secondary enuresis.

In older sufferers of nocturnal enuresis physical maladies and injuries can sometimes be attributed as the cause for occaisional or regular wetting of the bed during sleep.  In young adults and teens injuries and weak muscle tone are generally given a lower priority as a possible cause.  Instead, many doctors who are assisting teens with nocturnal enuresis will consider a teen’s sleep habits, hormone levels and anxiety and stress levels first.  The hormone ADH, for example, should reduce the amount of urine produced by the body at night.  An imbalance of this hormone can be a contributing factor to bed wetting.

That being said, many younger teens and adolescents are still growing and have smaller bladders than they will have as adults.  The nerve sensations of a full bladder should often wake a teen or preteen, but those stimulus-response mechanisms are not always fully matured and could still be developing.  As a result some preteens will grow out of the problem as they get older and their bodies wake them when their bladder is full.

Physical ailments should still be considered because wetting the bed can be a symptom of a more serious or dangerous medical problem.  Diabetes, sickle cell anemia, bladder cancer or an undiagnosed spinal or other internal injury are all possible causes for sudden nocturnal enuresis in teens.

Sadly, excessive alcohol consumption can sometimes be the cause of teen as well as adult bed wetting.  Adolescents have a lower body mass than most adults and often have adverse reactions to smaller amounts of alcohol than their adult counterparts.  In some cases the prospect of wetting the bad has actually discouraged young adults from consuming alcohol.

A study of the young adults family, social and educational life may take place to see if there are any unrecognized or unreported causes of stress and fatigue.  This can all be done with quietly and anonymously by a doctor, without revealing the teen’s private issues.  This study could also turn up genetic information which could be attributed to the cause of nocturnal bed wetting.  If one or both of a teenagers parents are bedwetters then a teen is much more likely to also wet the bed during his or her lifetime.

Because the psychological implications of bed wetting could be more damaging for teens, parents and adults should to their best to encourage open communication and honesty when talking to a young adult or adolescent about bed wetting issues.  Reassurance and positive talk can help immensely.  If you have a bed wetting story, be sure to share it, but keep your teen’s privacy by not sharing the issue with anyone else that your teen doesn’t want you to.  Teens, like any adult, who are wetting the bed should discuss this issue with a medical professional or family doctor as soon as possible.