The developement of Bladder Control

The big steps in life …

Birth and Infancy...recent studies have shown that voiding (bladder emptying) happens in response to various bladder volumes and may involve complex nerve pathways.

1-2 years... becomes more aware of full bladder.

3 years... is able to hold urine for longer and longer periods (this increases the bladder's ability to hold larger volumes of urine).

3-4 years... is able to empty bladder into a toilet when the bladder is full. The majority of children will achieve daytime dryness during this year. (Some do manage to achieve this earlier.)

4 years... can stop passing urine when child wishes - the majority of children will be dry on most nights.

6 years... can pass urine regardless of whether the bladder is full (i.e. the age at which it's realistic to say "I want you to go to the toilet for a wee before we get into the car").

‘Tuning in’ to the bladder

Children gradually learn to recognise the sensation of a full bladder and begin to hold on until a toilet or potty is found.
Most children have gained daytime control by the age of 3 years. Night-time control takes a little longer - girls often achieve this earlier than boys.
It is quite normal for children as old as 4 years to be wetting the bed still – and accidents may occur from time to time for a number of years.

How the bladder works

The bladder is like a stretchy bag. Its muscle walls relax, to allow it to gradually fill with urine from the kidneys (and therefore become larger), and then the muscles contract and allow it to squeeze out its contents. Everyone’s bladder has a usual maximum level of filling before contractions start - and this varies in volume from person to person. When the maximum level is reached, the bladder sends messages to the brain via the nervous system, resulting in feelings of discomfort or fullness. It is this that tells the child that they need to go to the toilet. When the toilet is reached (or wetting occurs!), the contractions squeeze the urine out, emptying the bladder.