- Bedwetting is also known as enuresis, sleep wetting and bladder incontinence.
- Bedwetting is involuntary, not intentional.
- There are 2 types of enuresis. Primary enuresis – where control over bladder does not last for more than 6 months. Secondary enuresis – where bladder control is attained for at least a year before wetting repeats.
- Nocturnal enuresis is bedwetting in the night while diurnal enuresis is bedwetting during the day and in the night. The former is more common.
- Bedwetting often runs in the family i.e. when one or both parents, grandparents had wetted when they were young, their offspring would follow likewise.
- It happens more often in boys than girls.
- When a child who has been dry in the night starts to wet, it could be due to stress resulting from a change in environment, school, the loss of a parent, parents’ divorce or the birth of a sibling.
- Other more serious but less common implications include diabetes or bladder infection (e.g. pain when urinating or abdominal pain) .
- Bedwetting can cause the wetter to feel embarrassed and lead to low-self image.
- Most children will outgrow bedwetting automatically by the time they reach 4 or 5.
- A lack of a natural anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) called vasopressin released from the brain can lead to bed wetting. This hormone makes the urine more concentrated and reduces the production of urine at night.
- Bedwetting alarms/pagers (see next column) are effective devices for treating bedwetting.
Chapter: Bedwetting :: 8 June 2007
