Tracking Problem Foods

As we just saw, food can affect a child's wetting by impairing regular bowel function. Likewise, for years mothers have suspected that certain foods seem to bother their children's bladder and bring out wetting tendencies. Just as some people get hives after eating chocolate, get sleepy after sipping a glass of wine, or can't sleep after drinking coffee, some children seem to wet more often after they taken in certain foods of beverages.

The bladder diet is a classic elimination diet, which gets its name from the strategy one takes when trying to isolate a problem food, you eliminate the suspected food and beverages, making sure that your child has none of that type of food while on the diet, and then reintroduce each food or drink one at a time.

Start by with holding for two weeks all of the foods and drinks listed in the left column. Beverages that your child may drink (in moderation) include water, cranberry juice, nectar juice, and apple juice.

After two weeks you may begin reintroducing the problem items, one at a time. If wetting occurs after a particular beverage or food is reintroduced, eliminate that item again. You may have found a food or beverage culprit. Then withhold that food or beverage for a few weeks. you may then reintroduce the item and observe your child for any signs that the item is affecting wetting.

Drinks To Avoid	Satisfying Substitutes
Drinks with carbonation (Pepsi, Coke, 7up, and others) Drinks with caffeine (soda, coffee, tea)	Water
Drinks with artificial colors (Kool Aid, Hawaiian Punch, Hi-C, and others) Drinks with citric acid(orange juice, lemon juice, grapefruit juice, and others).	Cranberry juice, Pear or Apricot nectar, Apple Juice (without added vitamin C)
Milk and other dairy beverages after lunchtime.	Milk and other dairy beverages are OK at breakfast and lunch.
Foods To Avoid	Satisfying Substitutes
Ice cream after noon	Frozen natural fruit pops (without citric acid and without artificial coloring)
Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and others) Melons (watermelons, cantaloupe, and others)	Apples, pear, bananas, cherries, plums, apricots, nectarines, grapes, raisins, and others
Any pizza with cheese	Pizza with tomato sauce, vegetables, sausage, pepperoni, and other toppings (just hold the cheese)
Sugary foods and candy (such as chocolates bars)	Low-salt popcorn, chips, pretzels, nacho chips (in moderation) Fresh vegetables with nondary dip
Vitamin supplements containing artificial colors, vitamin C, or both	Most vitamins with out added vitamin C sold at health-food stores

What do next

If you find that your child seems to be wetting as a result of consuming any of the beverages or foods listed here, she should refrain from ingesting that substance until wetting has remitted. She can try it from time to time every few months to see if it still causes a problem.

We find that approximately 10% of children who wet are being affected by one or more problem foods or drinks listed above. A small percentage of children will become dry just by following the diet and doing nothing else, but the majority benefit from a combination of remedies. Food sensitivities do not usually single-handed make a dry child wet, but they can exacerbate existing wetting and make getting to dry harder.