Bedwetting

This pack has been produced with by Frimley Health NHS Trust in partnership with Healthier Together
This pack is aimed at children and young people who have long lasting abdominal (tummy) pain. When a physical cause cannot be seen on a test or a scan, it is called ‘Functional pain’, because it affects your functioning (what you are able to do).

What Is The Urinary System?

The urinary system, also known as the renal system or excretory system. Its purpose is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, control levels of electrolytes and metabolites, and regulate blood pH. The urinary tract is the body's drainage system for the eventual removal of urine.  It consists of the following:​​​​​​

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• Kidneys – these two bean shaped organs work around the clock. They have various functions, including filtering waste products from the blood and producing urine (wee).  They also balance a variety of electrolytes, as well as release hormones to control blood pressure and control red blood cell production. Furthermore, the kidneys help with bone health by controlling calcium.
• Ureters – these are two thin tubes that take the urine (wee) from the kidneys to the bladder.
• Bladder – this is the hollow, balloon-shaped organ that holds urine (wee) until it is time to go to the bathroom. This sac gets bigger as it fills with urine (wee).
• Urethra – this is a tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body when you wee.
• Nerves in the bladder – the nerves warn a person when it is time to empty the bladder.

How Does The Urinary System Work?

• The body extracts nutrients from your diet and coverts it into energy.
• Waste products are then left behind in the bowel and blood.
• The urinary system helps to remove urea from the body (liquid waste!). Urea is carried in the blood down into the kidneys where it is eliminated from the body with other waste products in the form of urine. If there is a urinary tract infection, then the child may experience painful/burning urination, increased frequency of urination, or a fever.