What is bedwetting?

Bedwetting, also called nocturnal enuresis, is the involuntary passage of urine (urinary incontinence) while asleep. Inherent in the definition of bedwetting is satisfactory bladder control while the person is awake. Therefore, urination while awake is a different condition and has a variety of difference causes than bedwetting.

What are the types of bedwetting?

There are two types of bedwetting:

1. Primary enuresis: bedwetting since infancy
2. Secondary enuresis: wetting developed after being continually dry for a minimum of six months

What is primary bedwetting?

Primary bedwetting is viewed as a delay in maturation of the nervous system. At 5 years of age, approximately 20% of children wet the bed at least once a month, with about 5% of males and 1% of females wetting nightly. By 6 years of age, only about 10% of children are bedwetters -- thelarge majority being boys. The percentage of all children who are bedwetters continues to diminish by 50% each year after 5 years of age. Family history plays a big role in predicting primary bedwetting. If one parentwas a bedwetter, the offspring have a 45% chance of a developing primary enuresis as well.

What is the basic problem in primary bedwetting?

The fundamental problem for children with primary bedwetting is the inability to recognize messages of the nervous system sent by the full bladder to thesleep arousal centers of the brain while asleep. In addition, bladder capacity is often smaller in bedwetting children than in their peers.