One in four British children wake up once a night until the age of 12, study finds

And bedwetting is the main cause of wake up in the night - with five percent of youngsters doing so on a nightly basis.

09:49, Wed, Mar 27, 2024 | UPDATED: 09:49, Wed, Mar 27, 2024

One in 20 kids wet the bed on a nightly basis

One in 20 kids who wet the bed, do so on a nightly basis (Image: Getty Images)

A quarter of British children wake up once a night until the age of 12, a study has found – due to bed wetting, night terrors, and thirst. Research among 1,000 parents, of four- to 12-year-olds, found another 28 percent will get up twice or more each night.

Needing the toilet is the top reason for waking overall, while 44 percent of four- to seven-year olds do so due to bad dreams, and 31 percent of eight- to 12-year-olds need to get a drink.

As a result, 29 percent of parents can’t remember the last time they had a full night’s sleep – but there is hope, as 65 percent believe their youngster has woken less as they’ve got older.

The research, commissioned by Pampers Ninjamas, also found that, despite bedwetting being one of the top causes of waking, 45 percent of parents have been left stumped on how to help their child manage it.

More than three in 10 children (31 percent) who experience bedwetting do so once a week or more, with one in 20 doing so on a nightly basis.

On average, it typically started at the age of three – but a third of mums and dads (32 percent) claim it has impacted their child’s self-esteem. And 36 percent worry they’re not parenting as well as they could be, because their child wets the bed.

Three in 10 parents can't remember last full sleep

And three in 10 parents, of kids aged up to 12, can't remember the last time they slept all night (Image: SWNS)

The study, carried out via OnePoll, found four in 10 children who have wet the bed, have done so while staying at their grandparents.

This left a quarter of youngsters no longer attending sleepovers, with 19 percent feeling embarrassed – while 11 percent of the parents polled felt their hosts weren’t equipped to manage bedwetting.

Pampers Ninjamas is working with paediatrician and TV presenter, Dr Ranj, to raise awareness of its educational content series, which aims to inform parents, carers, and children about why bedwetting can happen, and how to manage it.

Dr Ranj said: “We know the Easter holidays are an exciting time where families tend to get together, and sleepovers are more likely.

“This change in routine can be exciting, but also challenging for children, as fears of the unknown or unfamiliar surroundings can increase the likelihood of bedwetting.

“Furthermore, we need to help children to feel comfortable no matter where they stay, and help to breakdown bedwetting taboos across the entire family unit.”