This can make children suddenly feel like they have to do a wee, so they wet themselves. Stressful life events — like starting school, the birth of a new sibling, or parents separating — can make it hard for some children to focus on going to the toilet by themselves. They might accidentally wet themselves as a result. Daytime wetting is accidental. The main symptom of urinary incontinence is children accidentally wetting themselves during the day. The GP might refer your child to a continence nurse or medical specialist.

My 5-year-old daughter she'll be 6 in a couple of months keeps peeing in her pants. We've tried various things to help her to stop, such as positive verbal reinforcements, reminding her to use the bathroom frequently, using a chart with incentives, and taking privelages or toys away. I feel like everything works for a short period of time but then she goes right back to peeing in her pants. I've talked to her pediatrician about this and she didn't seem too concerned, saying it was normal for her age. I think she's doing it because she doesn't want to stop what she's doing to use the bathroom. She sometimes smells like pee, her room and blankets smell like pee, she sometimes has accidents on the furniture which makes that smell like pee, she hides dirty underwear in her room which just makes it worse, and it's just becoming more and more of a problem. I don't want to get mad at her and make her feel bad, but I'm so frustrated that I don't know what to do anymore because I feel like I've run out of options.

Previously she was normally dry through the day. I have taken her to my GP and he says there is nothing he can do unless she starts wetting the bed and doing it at nursery. Is there anything I can do to help her stop this and could there be anything medically wrong with her?

Some children who have daytime wetting also wet the bed. Learn more about bed-wetting. About 3 to 4 percent of children between the ages of 4 and 12 have daytime wetting. It is most common among young school-aged children. Many children who have daytime urine accidents have a parent or other relative who did, too.