How to Use St. John's Wort to Treat Children's Bedwetting

Bedwetting is an embarrassing, yet common problem for young children. Sometimes, the cause isn't medical; children may wet the bed as a reaction to stress. If this is the case, you can treat the problem with a natural remedy called St. John's Wort. In addition to relieving anxiety and stress, this herb is known to have anti-diuretic properties.

Things You'll Need

• Tincture of St. John's Wort

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Instructions

• 1

  Take your child to the pediatrician to determine whether there is some underlying cause for his bedwetting. Having a small bladder, not producing enough ADH (anti-diuretic hormone) at night or having diabetes can cause bedwetting that cannot be addressed with St. John's Wort.

• 2

  Discuss with the pediatrician your plan to use St. John's Wort to treat your child's nighttime incontinence. In particular, check with her to see whether the herb can have a bad interaction with medicines your child is taking.

• 3

  Find a health store in your area from which you can purchase the St. John's Wort herb. The recommended preparation to treat children's bedwetting is a tincture, which you can either prepare yourself from dried herbs or buy at the store.

• 4

  Purchase only standardized preparations. This means that the herb has been processed to ensure that the minimum level of active ingredient is in the preparation. Non-standardized herbs do not have a guaranteed level of potency.

• 5

  Use up to 10 drops of St. John's Wort tincture at bedtime to treat children's bedwetting. St. John's Wort is a natural remedy for depression and anxiety. If the underlying cause of your child's problem is stress, it can help to relieve his anxiety.

• 6

  Provide the herb in the form of a mild tea if your child can't tolerate the taste of the alcohol-based tincture. Use 1 tbsp. of dried St. John's Wort per 8-oz. cup of hot water to make a children's strength tea. Leave it to steep for about 20 minutes.