Wetting the bed is no longer considered a failing or the result of extreme laziness.

Enuresis is the medical term for this condition that most children outgrow. Yet, it is a common condition. About 15 percent of 5-year-olds, 7 percent of 8-year-olds, and 3 percent of 12-year-olds wet the bed. It is about twice as common in males as females, according to Dr. Jon Dvorak, a pediatrician at ProMedica.

“Children should never be punished for bedwetting,” he said. “You tell parents that neither the child nor the caregiver are at fault.”

And after 39 years of practice, Dr. Dvorak said he can see a difference in how parents handle the situation.

“It is very common,” said Dr. Dvorak, who points to a delayed maturation in bladder control with a strong genetic tendency. “We don't expect it to be r

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