Food allergies are yet another reason why your child might be wetting the bed at night. Many children have different food allergies. In addition to bedwetting being hereditary, food allergies may be as well. You may know of peanut allergies and other common food allergies, but there are some shown to contribute to bedwetting.
Main Food Allergies that Contribute to Bedwetting
The number one food allergy that seems to come up with children wetting the bed is milk. Children with a milk allergy show almost immediate results after stopping their milk intake in the afternoon and evenings. Milk increases urine production. Your child drinking a night-time glass of milk may cause them to start producing more urine when going to bed instead of letting the body naturally decrease urine overnight.
There have been many studies that linked drinking milk and other food allergies to bedwetting. However, the results are always inconclusive since some kids will wet the bed no matter if they drink milk or not. That being said, some kids who cut milk from their afternoon and night-time routines have shown a decrease in the number of times they wet the bed. It is definitely something to keep in mind.
Eliminating gluten from your child’s diet may also have an effect on their wetting the bed. Some parents who have switched to a gluten-free diet have reported their child’s bedwetting drastically decreased or ended altogether. Going gluten-free is a big decision, and may effect the entire family. It is a lot of work, but may be worth it in your child’s situation.
If you stop milk or go gluten free and your child’s bedwetting does decrease, it would be a good idea to have some allergy tests done by your doctor to determine if they are any other food allergies and bedwetting, including the ones you have eliminated from their diet.
Food allergies and bedwetting are rare, but if bedwetting has become a problem, a visit to your doctor and a keen eye on your child’s diet might provide some clues.