A child in hospitalization who begins bedwetting is an example of which coping pattern?

• A. Regression
• B. Transference
• C. Denial
• D. Avoidance

Answer: (A)

Regression is a child’s reverting to earlier, more childlike behaviors when faced with stress, such as being hospitalized. Bedwetting signals a return to a safer, earlier coping pattern in response to anxiety, separation from home, and unfamiliar medical settings. This isn’t about moral failing or defiance; it’s the nervous system seeking comfort by returning to known behaviors.

Other patterns don’t fit as well: transference involves directing feelings toward the caregiver as if they were someone else; denial is refusing to acknowledge reality; avoidance is evading situations or people. Recognizing regression helps you respond with reassurance, maintain familiar routines, involve parents, and provide supportive, nonpunitive care to help the child gradually reestablish security.