In-Depth Information on Enuresis

For more detailed information on bedwetting, including symptoms, treatment, real-life stories, and questions and answers, see About Enuresis.

Overview of Enuresis

Enuresis (bedwetting) refers to urination in clothing or bed beyond the age when children are expected to be toilet trained, in the absence of disease. To qualify for a diagnosis of enuresis, the child over the age of 5 must involuntarily pass urine, at night or during the day, at least twice a week for a period of three months or to such a degree that it interferes with the child's functioning in other areas, such as interaction with friends.

Cause: Many factors interact to cause enuresis - mastery of urine control is affected by a child's maturational level, intellectual capacity, cultural customs, and the dynamics of the parent-child relationships. Enuresis is not due to drinking too much fluid, laziness, desire to irritate the parents, or emotional problems. P unishment, teasing and criticism do not help the problem, but can prolong it, causing an emotional problem. Trauma or stress may bring transient (temporary) enuresis

Treatment: Any possible medical cause for the wetting must be ruled out first. Many children outgrow enuresis without treatment. If a child is 5 years old and enuresis persists for three months or more, most experts feel that intervention is warranted. Behavioral techniques try to eliminate bedwetting by directly training the child to control bladder functions during the night and have been shown to be effective. Depending on the severity, a child may benefit from medication, which may physically limit the amount of urine output or keep him dry.

Related Articles

The following articles are arranged chronologically, according to the date of publication or last update.

Organizations

Browse through a list of staff-selected organizations and online resources to learn more about Enuresis