“My 12-Year-Old Son Started Wetting the Bed After His Father Passed”: Mental Health Advocate Reacts

• A struggling mother's heart is breaking after losing her husband and now having to try to help her 12-year-old son accept his death
• The woman is desperate for help as her son started wetting his bed after the father's sudden passing
• Candice Lambert, a Mental Health advocate, shared some insight into the issue as well as invaluable advice

A struggling mother wrote: "We just lost my husband suddenly. My boy is 12. He has started wetting the bed again; is this normal? What do I do? Who do you speak to for something like this?"

Mental Health advocate shares some insight into trauma-related bedwetting

Candice Lambert, with a background in neuroscience coaching, psychology, and business strategy, is currently pursuing her Master's in Neuropsychology. She leads the Wellness Dialogue Group, supporting families with the Teddy Clinic and Life Healthcare.

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Speaking to Briefly News, Mental Health advocate Candice Lambert shared some insight into the psychological factors influencing bedwetting beyond the age of six. First, she explained what normal bedwetting looks like when it is not psychologically induced.

"Bedwetting refers to the loss or passing of urine during sleep and can be considered one of the critical challenges in childhood stages. When a child has accomplished toilet training by the age of four, many children have a brief period of wetting during the daytime or at night.

"Whenever the child continues bedwetting post six years of age, that alarms for medical attention as this may be a sign of a more serious problem, and as a parent one would consider a paediatrician consultation. This is the reason that bedwetting may also be related to a urinary infection. Thus, the child needs medical attention.

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Then, she went on to explain what trauma-related bedwetting looks like, and this is what is happening in the case of this 12-year-old boy.

"In this article, we take a closer look at the underlying psychological factors that also play a major role in childhood bedwetting. According to studies and clinical practice, Psychological factors are clearly contributory in most cases reported in children with bedwetting problems.

"These children have experienced life stressors such as domestic violence, trauma, abuse, or loss of attachment, among others. Bedwetting in such cases is considered a regressive symptom in response to stress; that is, the child tends to lose previously well-developed functions and milestones. Bedwetting is also a symptom of the coping style most children adopt of Internalising the stressor without being able to express or vent it out easily. Therefore, it is important to pay more attention to early development milestones, the social environment, and the growth progression from one stage to another to facilitate healthy and functional coping. It is also critical to consider early intervention by consulting a Psychologist, counsellor or social worker to understand the underlying factors surrounding the bedwetting. In conclusion, note that a child's psychological process and development are as important as their physical development; none is superior to the other. Says Dr Malebo, psychologist from Wellness Dialogue Group, Kids Dialogue.

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"When trauma occurs, just as each of us is different, our reactions and responses to the trauma are individualised and often, even though there are two children from the same family going through the same challenges, their responses to these events will differ, says Candice Lambert, Neuroscience coach and mental health advocate for adults and children."

Married woman on Tinder gets caught out

Briefly News recently covered a situation where an unidentified individual shared that their husband's best friend had found their Tinder profile.

When approached by Briefly News for insight, relationship expert Penny Holburn emphasised that many view emotional infidelity on par with physical indiscretions. Holburn elaborated on the impact emotional affairs can have on a relationship.

"There are several aspects the individual should reflect upon. If her curiosity led her to explore Tinder, why didn't she discuss it openly with her spouse from the outset?"

Source: Briefly News