Bed Wetting

Bed-wetting, also called enuresis, is the unintentional discharge of urine during sleep. Although most children between the ages of three and five begin to stay dry at night, the age at which children are physically and emotionally ready to maintain complete bladder control varies.

Most children wet the bed occasionally, and definitions of the age and frequency at which bed-wetting becomes a medical problem vary somewhat. The word enuresis is derived from a Greek word meaning "to make water." Enuresis is defined as the repeated voiding of urine into the bed or clothes at least twice a week for at least three consecutive months in a child who is at least five years of age. It can be nocturnal (occurring at night) or diurnal (occurring during the day). Enuresis is a fairly common condition in children. It can be a stressful condition as well for both parents and children. Some children find bed-wetting extremely embarrassing. Parents sometimes become both frustrated and angry.

Enuresis is divided into two classes. A child with primary enuresis has never been consistently dry through the night. A child with secondary enuresis begins to wet after a prolonged dry period. Some children have both nocturnal and diurnal enuresis.

Bed Wetting