When children wet the bed!!

"What is the age at which children should not wet the bed?" Is the question that made me a mother worried that her 7 year old son even did. During the second year of life, children develop the ability to voluntarily control their urination and continence (being dry) during the day and in parallel during the night. At about age 4, all children with normal bladder function of acquiring this skill.

Enuresis is the medical term to describe children who wet either during the day or night. Being the most frequent presentation at night and the parents come with their children. We also have to consider that this problem is quite common, about 25% of children at age 4 continued bedwetting, 10% will at 7 years and less than 5% will do for the 10 years of age. The psychological impact it generates both parents and children is important and why should this be viewed from a multidisciplinary perspective.

There are multiple factors that could cause this problem: infections, anatomical abnormalities, nervous disorders, inappropriate development, psychological disorders, among others. So we have to do a thorough medical history, a physical examination and some laboratory findings that can help us find the cause.

The most important reason for the treatment of enuresis is to minimize discomfort and the child's anxiety and frustration experienced by parents. Most children with enuresis feel very alone with their problem. A positive attitude and motivation to be dry are important components of treatment. And treatment begins with simple steps in managing the volume of fluid ingested by the child, feeding habits change.

In the latest issue of the British Journal Of Urology International, evaluate the effectiveness of drug treatment with desmopressin (a drug similar to anti-diuretic hormone) associated with another drug, in patients with nocturnal enuresis where traditional treatment has failed, finding that combination therapy is much better. But this research has some biases that diminish the value of their conclusions without discard these.

Therefore, enuresis is a common problem that affects many children and should be studied to find the cause and rule out some other diseases that manifest themselves only with the loss of urine in children. For any queries, write me to lnunez@urozen.com or call me at 981038092