It can seem like there's no end to the things that wake a child up at night. Cutting molarsis a common cause this year. It doesn't last long, but it can really hurt. Offer something she can bite down on, like a cold wet washcloth. (Make sure it's something big enough not to be a choking hazard. Frozen bagels, a popular remedy, aren't great because large pieces can come off that a preschooler could choke on.
Your child's last baby teeth, four "second molars," usually appear between 20 and 33 months. (Some kids
are still cutting their other teeth during the third year.) Molars tend to be especially painful since they
are large. Sometimes they're accompanied by mild fever. They may even cause your good sleeper to
wake up crying in the night. Fortunately the pain doesn't last more than a day or two per tooth. Let your
child gnaw on toys, his hands, or a frozen or very warm (not hot) wet washcloth if he's inclined until the
discomfort passes. Many physicians recommend against topical oral medications because they can lead
a child to suck or gnaw the gum long enough to create a sore.
Your life now
Nighttime bed-wetting can suddenly disrupt those solid-sleep nights you've come to cherish. It's not
clear why some kids can't make it through the night without urinating, though it's certainly common,
especially among boys and the recently potty-trained. Theories include ultra-deep sleep from which a
child doesn't awaken in time, a small bladder, and slow development of the central nervous system. Bed-
wetting may be genetic; it tends to run in families.
Don't blame or shame a bed wetter; he just can't help it. Use the potty as part of your bedtime wind-
down; some parents find it helpful to go easy on liquids after dinner. The best defense, though, is a good
offense: Continue to use pull-ups until your child is able to stay dry night after night. Cover the mattress
in a rubber sheet. When he does wet (or leak) in the night, have fresh sheets and pajamas handy so that
you can make up a fresh bed with minimal disruption to everybody's rest.
The majority of nocturnal wetters stop by age 5 or 6 on their own.
