What should I do if my child wets the bed?

Nocturnal enuresis

Definition of Enuresis

In my country, it usually refers to children aged ≥5 years (ages stipulated in foreign countries: girls ≥5 years old, boys 6-10 years old), who have involuntary urination at least twice a week on average, and for more than 3 months. In adults, without any inducement, they have involuntary urination once a month on average, and for more than 3 months.

Causes of enuresis:

The pathogenesis is very complex, involving the central nervous system, physiological rhythm, bladder function, genetics, etc.

Diagnostic criteria:

According to WTO:ICD-10 classification standards for mental and behavioral disorders.

1. The child’s age and mental age must be greater than 5 years old.

2. Involuntary or intentional wetting of the bed or pants, at least twice a month for children <7 years old and at least once a month for children ≥7 years old.

3. The disease must last ≥ 3 months.

4. Eliminate factors caused by other diseases (such as epilepsy, developmental delay, anxiety, depression, etc.).

Treatment Procedure

1. Psychological treatment: Strengthen care, praise, encourage and reward children when they do not wet the bed, so that the children can build up confidence to overcome the disease; do not beat, scold, punish or humiliate children after they wet the bed, and let the children wash clothes and make the bed with their parents.

2. Behavioral therapy

(1) Bladder function training can be performed during the day: when you want to urinate, try to delay urination until you can no longer bear it. When urinating, suddenly stop for a while, then continue urinating, and repeat the training.

(2) Adjust your eating habits. Eat dry food for dinner and do not drink water or beverages from 2 hours before going to bed. Urinate 1-2 times before going to bed (try to empty your bladder).

(3) Avoid strenuous exercise before going to bed, do not watch TV for too long, and develop the habit of resting on time.

(4) Wake up to urinate on time according to your usual urination time so that you can develop the habit of getting up consciously to urinate.

3. Drug treatment: It must be carried out under the guidance of a professional physician and must not be done blindly. Commonly used drugs include: desmopressin, oxybutynin, Suquan capsules, etc.

4. Traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture treatment (must be performed by a qualified professional doctor).

5. Suprapubic procaine blockade treatment (must be performed by a qualified professional doctor).