# 4 yr old suddenly wetting bed **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2013, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-yr-old-suddenly-wetting-bed/674254 "2013-11-19T13:20:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-yr-old-suddenly-wetting-bed/674254/21 "2013-11-20T17:26:07Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > … > It likely helps her sleep, because otherwise she’d be coughing or sneezing all night. Proper sleep is a big factor in getting over any illness. I’m not a doctor, but unless you are, \*\*your \*\*word isn’t good enough to stop giving medicine to a sick kid. So ask a doctor or better yet, a pharmacist. The fact that OTC “cold medicine” treats only the symptoms of the cold is not some deep dark doctor secret they whisper to you as they hand you your med school diploma. Now I don’t know exactly what “cold medicine” the OP is referring to, but if it’s something like NyQuil, I’m pretty sure there are: 1) zero documented cases of adverse reactions from not taking it, and 2) a reasonable chance that the medication is causing the child to sleep so soundly that she isn’t waking up from the urge to urinate. If the kid is taking a prescription antibiotic, she should obviously not stop taking it without medical supervision, but that isn’t “cold medicine,” since colds are caused by viruses. If you don’t believe me, perhaps the Mayo Clinic would be more credible in your eyes: > **[Common cold - Symptoms and causes](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/symptoms-causes/syc-20351605)** > > This common illness of the nose and throat causes a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, and cough. From the article: "The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommend against giving OTC cough and cold medicines to children younger than age 2. Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines don’t effectively treat the underlying cause of a child’s cold, and won’t cure a child’s cold or make it go away any sooner. These medications also have potential side effects, including rapid heart rate and convulsions. FDA experts are studying the safety of cough and cold medicines for children older than age 2. In the meantime, remember that cough and cold medicines won’t make a cold go away any sooner — and side effects are still possible." ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-yr-old-suddenly-wetting-bed/674254/22 "2013-11-20T17:40:01Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Yup, me too. Almost everyone I know who had a kid who was potty-trained when the second came along went through this… Shit, I don’t even \*\*\*have \*\*\*kids, and my 1st thought when I saw the OP’s thread title was, “Is there a new baby on the way? Or already here?” > [@WhyNot](#): > > … Shaming children around toileting issues is not an effective technique, nor is it appropriate to shame a child for something her body does while she is asleep… Word. Quoted for truth in case that got missed. > [@eclectic\_wench](#): > > Same here. Except for one friend’s kid who decided to mix it up by regressing to shitting his pants… Holy :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/4-yr-old-suddenly-wetting-bed/674254.md?page=1)