Adults and children alike burdened by bedwetting problems often find themselves in discomforting, upsetting and embarrassing situations. Bedwetting commonly affects children five years old and below, but children as old as 15 years old can have this problem. Adults can be affected by bedwetting too.

Bedwetting is treatable, particularly if properly handled. Although there is not one cause that is responsible for bedwetting, various factors contribute to this condition. For instance, an infection of the bladder or drinking fluids too much right before sleeping can cause bedwetting. In addition, there are certain foods that can trigger bedwetting.

Caffeine in Chocolate

Excessive urination can be caused by food high with caffeine, and in the case of most of the children, that is found in chocolate. Whether through hot cocoa or a bedtime treat, the caffeine found in chocolate stimulates the child's body, especially if the child already suffers from a sensitive bladder.

Soda & Other Drinks

There's just something about those bubbles that gets the body going and if you don't have a fully developed bladder to handle the carbonation, your child may be in for unpleasant results. This is also true with other drinks, such as Gatorade, which literally seems to run right through drinkers of all ages. Sometimes, doctors will suggest that you even cut down the amount of water that a child drinks throughout the day. While adults are encouraged to consume 64 ounces on a daily basis, your child really only needs about 50% of that.

Oranges and Grapefruits

There is a high percentage of water in citrus fruits, like oranges and grapefruits. Moreover, their high acid levels have been proved to strongly affect sensitive bladders, resulting in the need to urinate in the middle of the night. Children whose bladders are not used to such nocturnal activities end up with bedwetting if they consume too much citric fruits.

Spices

It is known that spicy foods increase the speed of the elimination process inside the body. Therefore, if your child insists on extra salsa on his taco, remember that the ingredients of that salsa contain spices, which usually contribute to bedwetting.

Food Allergens

Some kinds of foods are known for their ability to create spasms in the bladder, which might lead to bedwetting. Thus, the reason behind your child's problem might be an allergic reaction to a food he may have eaten right before sleeping. Corn, peanuts, eggs, soy, wheat and dairy products are some of the food products that might trigger bedwetting. Also avoid giving your child foods that are high in preservatives, colors and sweeteners right before bedtime.

What to Do

When it becomes hard to keep your child away from certain foods that may trigger their bedwetting, you might want to consider using a variety of behavioral techniques to encourage a better response. For children over the age of seven, a bedwetting alarm may be used. It has been known to produce positive results in a relatively high percentage of children. In younger kids, a reward system for keeping the bed dry may work, which encourages your child to avoid the foods that may trigger bedwetting. As the child gets older, when they are told to change their own wet bed sheets, they might try extra hard to avoid this chore by any means necessary.