Nighttime urinary incontinence is uncontrolled urination during sleep. In most cases it is caused by the production of too much urine at night and a small bladder capacity.
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Nighttime urinary incontinence is uncontrolled urination during sleep. In most cases it is caused by the production of too much urine at night and a small bladder capacity.
Enuresis is involuntary urination during sleep in a child who should already be able to control the bladder. The diagnosis is usually considered after the age of five if episodes keep recurring. Nocturnal enuresis is the most common type: the child sleeps deeply and does not wake up to the urge. This is linked to the maturation of the nervous system and the waking reflex, not to naughtiness or laziness.
In brief:
At CSM Clinic in Kyiv, appointments are held by a pediatric neurologist, and if needed a child psychologist also sees the child.
Enuresis is involuntary urination during sleep, which can occur by day or by night. Until the age of 1.5-2 years a child wears a diaper and has no need to control involuntary processes. By the age of three, children learn to control urination on their own and wake at night or early in the morning when they feel the urge. Sometimes this function is disrupted and nocturnal enuresis appears. The condition can also appear in adolescence, and it may be persistent or occur in isolated episodes, often after stressful situations.
When this happens in a family, not only the parents but also the child react quite painfully.
A few facts:
Medical science regards nocturnal enuresis as a stage of development that everyone goes through while learning to control bodily functions. A child should develop the habit on their own by the age of 6, but about 10% of six-year-olds have difficulties. The problem often resolves by itself over time, but in some cases specialist help is needed.
Does your child need help with enuresis? Book a consultation with a pediatric neurologist or a child psychologist at CSM Clinic in Kyiv.
Before treating nocturnal enuresis in a child, it is important to find out the causes of the disorder. Psychological factors and physiology do not exclude each other and always go in parallel. Medicines can be taken endlessly, but without addressing the psychological factors the problem will not be resolved. That is why the help of a psychologist is very appropriate.
The following causes of the condition are identified:
Symptoms of enuresis in children often begin right before starting kindergarten, with difficulties at school, or during emotional tension.
| Psychological | Emotional tension, stress, psychological pressure at school, conflicts in the family. |
| Impaired waking response | The child has not developed the conditioned reflex of waking up when feeling the urge. |
| Organic pathology | Delayed maturation of the central nervous system, congenital abnormalities of the urinary system. |
| Genetic factors | There is a genetic link: if one parent had this problem, the likelihood of it occurring in the child is about 50%, and if both did, up to 80%. |
| Infections | The child needs to be examined for urinary tract infections and kidney disease. |
Some specialists note that excessive use of gadgets may contribute to childhood enuresis. The main harm of the condition is the psychological discomfort for the child, so it is important to address the problem promptly. Children develop feelings of guilt and shame, and neuroses may develop.
Treatment of enuresis can take some time, sometimes up to six months, but the calm attitude of the parents helps in overcoming the difficulties.
The first step should be a visit to a general practitioner:
The main sign of enuresis is a situation where during the day the child goes to the toilet often and passes small amounts, while at night he or she sleeps calmly and deeply.
Treatment of childhood urinary incontinence has several stages:
The specialist will decide what to use to treat enuresis in a child in each specific case.
What is important for parents to do:
The mother's psychological state and nervousness are strongly passed on to the child.
It is important to start potty training on time; it is recommended to begin at 1.5 years, so that by 2-2.5 years the child learns to control physiological processes.
Avoid:
Try to give the child less fluid in the evening and closer to bedtime, help the child recognize the urge to go to the toilet, and talk about and describe the sensations. A home exercise: agree with the child that when they want to go to the toilet, they should wait a little, lie on their back and notice their sensations, and then go. Alarm therapy with a special alarm is a treatment method for childhood enuresis that is reported to give good results. It is a device with a built-in moisture sensor that rings at the slightest wetting. As a result the child wakes up and has time to run to the toilet.
There are several types of alarms:
Usually stable results in forming the conditioned reflex can be achieved in about six months.
Parents should support the child: you can explain how many children have a similar problem, and be sure to stress that the child is loved no matter what.
Enuresis is a complex problem, and solving it may require consultations with several specialists: a psychologist, a neurologist, a urologist and sometimes an endocrinologist. It is therefore advisable to choose a multidisciplinary medical center where all the specialists see patients in one place, tests can be taken and treatment can be started.
The minimum examination for diagnosing enuresis includes:
Depending on the situation, additional tests may be ordered. Book an appointment today to start addressing your child's nocturnal enuresis as soon as possible. Parental support and timely help from specialists are the most important steps in treating childhood enuresis.
Book: Pediatric neurologist consultation in Kyiv
It is not uncommon in a six-year-old, but it is no longer considered the norm if wet nights keep recurring. It is often linked to the waking reflex to the urge not yet being formed. If episodes are regular, it is worth having urine tests done and showing the child to a neurologist rather than waiting for it to pass on its own.
When a child who was already dry at night suddenly starts wetting again, the cause is most often sought in stress: a new kindergarten or class, conflicts at home, a move, or the arrival of a younger sibling. But a urinary tract infection or endocrine disorders can show up the same way. So in addition to talking with the child, tests and an examination by a doctor are needed.
At home you can help a teenager with a routine: less fluid in the evening, a toilet visit before bed, and no insults or jokes on the subject. But home measures alone are not enough: infections and other causes must be ruled out, and treatment should be chosen by a doctor. Teenagers are usually very embarrassed, so it is important for them to know that this is a medical problem, not a character flaw.
In some children, nocturnal enuresis goes away with growing up as the nervous system matures. This cannot be predicted in advance, and waiting for years is hard on the child: shame and guilt build up, and neuroses may develop. So if wet nights continue and the child is already over five, it is better to have an examination.
First you see a pediatrician or the doctor who looks after the child, to have urine tests and rule out infection. If the tests are normal and nights are still wet, a pediatric neurologist can help, since the cause is often immaturity of nervous regulation. A urologist or nephrologist is needed when tests or an ultrasound show abnormalities.
No, a child should not be scolded or shamed: the child does not control this, and reproaches only increase the tension that can prolong enuresis. It is better to calmly change the bedding, not discuss it in front of others, and praise the child for a dry night. A calendar of "adventures," an evening ritual and parental support help.