Children's urination is a "small matter"

Author: Yu Xiaoning Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics

Reviewer: Chen Chaoying, Chief Physician, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics

Eating, drinking, defecating, urinating and sleeping are the most basic physiological needs of human beings, and they are also the things that parents worry about. Children's urination seems to be a simple and ordinary "little thing", which will also confuse most "novice" parents who encounter the problem and don't know how to deal with it. Today we will introduce some knowledge related to children's urination.

First, let's understand the process of urination: the urine produced by the kidneys reaches the bladder through the ureters. When the urine in the bladder is stored to a certain amount and becomes full, it will send a signal to the brain "headquarters" - it can't hold any more! Urinate quickly! At this time, people will feel the urge to urinate and go to the toilet in time. The brain will send urination signals to the bladder and urethra, and urination will be completed through the action of muscles. However, children are in the stage of growing up, the bladder capacity is small, and the brain headquarters is not very "sensitive". Urinating is often not well controlled, which will lead to unconscious urination, or frequent urination, leakage, bedwetting, etc. At this time, parents need to provide correct care and training to guide children to gradually learn to control urination by themselves.

Most children under 2 years old cannot control their urination. With the introduction of some Western parenting concepts, the use of diapers has become a common phenomenon. Diapers are mainly composed of three parts, namely the surface coating layer (non-woven fabric), the absorbent core layer (fluff pulp and super absorbent resin) and the base fabric (PE film). Diapers are popular among parents because of their convenience and large absorption capacity, but their breathability and heat dissipation are not as good as traditional diapers, so it is easy to get diaper rash. In addition, this age group is also the high incidence period of urinary tract infection in children. Diapers after urination/defecation are easy to contaminate the urethra, allowing bacteria to enter, so parental care is particularly important. Parents should change diapers in time, and wash the child's "little butt" before changing (rinse with running water from front to back) and apply diaper cream. The most important thing is not to rely too much on diapers. As children grow older, parents should consciously help their children get rid of diapers and practice independent urination.

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1. The right time to quit diapers

The timing to quit diapers varies from person to person. Generally, children between the ages of 1.5 and 2.0 years old gradually begin to have the conditions to urinate independently. When a child shows the following symptoms, you can start trying what is medically known as "toilet training."

1. Able to walk to the toilet and sit firmly on the small toilet.

2. Can keep diapers dry for more than 2 hours.

3. Able to put on and take off underwear and pants by themselves.

4. Able to express the need to change diapers and go to the toilet.

5. Able to understand and willing to obey simple instructions from parents.

6. Pulling the "stink" into shape and in a regular time pattern.

7. Bonus points: likes to imitate, can put things back in their place, and is interested in using the toilet.

2. Prepare toilet training supplies

Babies are working so hard, so parents can’t fall behind! When the time is right for toilet training, you should start preparing the following supplies.

1. A safe, comfortable and easy-to-clean small toilet. The style and color can be chosen by the child. A sitting toilet is recommended. Both feet must be on the ground. The squat toilet has higher requirements and is not suitable for beginner babies.

2. Underwear and pants should be loose and soft, easy to put on and take off. When the child first starts to wet his pants, you should prepare more pants to change. When the child wets, you should be patient, don't criticize, and encourage the child more.

3. Consciously guide children to express their desire to urinate and imitate adults using the toilet. When children make a little progress, parents should praise and encourage them. When reading with children, parents can also choose picture books about toilet training to explain to their children.

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3. How to conduct toilet training specifically?

1. Parents should be mentally prepared. This is a process that may take several months and should be done step by step. Parents should not rush for quick results.

2. It is recommended to start toilet training in spring and summer. Children are more likely to catch colds in autumn and winter, and clothes are thicker and more difficult to put on and take off.

3. Toilet training should be carried out when the child is in good health, in a good mood and is willing to cooperate.

4. After successfully adapting to sitting on the toilet for 1 week, you can try not wearing diapers during the day, and then transition to wearing diapers all day.

5. Normally, you can remind your child to urinate after he wakes up. If you find that your child shows signs of holding back urine, such as twisting his body or squeezing his legs, you should guide him to sit on the small toilet to urinate.

6. Correct toilet posture: Squat on the toilet, spread your legs and feet, lean forward, keep your back straight, and take off your pants below your knees.

7. When your child is sitting on the toilet, do not flush the toilet to avoid startling him.

8. Instruct your children to wash their hands carefully after using the toilet and develop good hygiene habits.

9. When children have a cold, diarrhea, sleep too deeply, drink too much water before going to bed, etc., the effect of toilet training may temporarily decline, which is normal. Parents should always give positive encouragement and recognition, and believe that although the road is tortuous, the future is still bright.

After training, some children still cannot urinate on their own and often wet their pants or sheets. The most common is bedwetting at night in children over the age of 5, also known as "children's nocturnal enuresis", which will seriously affect the child's self-esteem and self-confidence, produce inferiority and irritability, dare not participate in accommodation activities outside, dare not drink more water, and also interfere with the normal work and rest of adults and children, increasing family conflicts. In the past, the older generation thought that bedwetting would slowly get better after a few years, and some enuresis can indeed heal itself, but with the improvement of quality of life and the increase of life pressure, enuresis has received more and more attention from parents and pediatricians. Nearly half of children with enuresis are hereditary. If one of the parents has enuresis, the risk of enuresis in their children increases by 5 to 7 times, and it is mostly boys.

If the child still wets the bed after the age of 5, he should go to the hospital for relevant examinations in time to rule out diseases related to urination disorders. In addition to laboratory tests, pediatricians will ask parents to record a form called "urination diary" for their children, including the child's water intake and urine output for 4 days (daytime diary) and 7 consecutive nights (nighttime diary). Before recording the urination diary, parents should prepare 2 measuring cups with scales, one to measure the amount of water consumed (in milliliters) and the other to measure the amount of urine discharged (in milliliters). During the recording period, ask the child to try not to drink water 2 hours before going to bed and empty the bladder before going to bed. The urination diary can help doctors determine the child's bedwetting information.

1. A daytime diary can estimate the child's bladder capacity, and a nighttime diary can help understand the amount of nocturnal urination, helping doctors determine whether there is increased nocturnal urination.

2. By recording a urination diary, parents can deepen their understanding of their children's eating, sleeping, and daily routines, help them develop better living habits, and bedwetting will also be improved to a certain extent.

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"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; a river is formed by the accumulation of small streams." From learning to walk and speak in diapers, to "quitting" diapers and practicing urination independently, to using the toilet freely, every bit of daily life is progress. The healthy growth of children is a major issue for the country and every family. Only by actively solving every seemingly ordinary "little thing" in a child's life can we help the green grass grow into a towering tree. Don't panic if your child wets the bed. See a doctor in time to find the cause, cooperate with the doctor to guide the child's living habits, and maintain a good and regular work and rest schedule. I believe that the child's physical and mental development will get better and better!