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19th June 2017
01:41pm BST

What exactly is enuresis?
Bedwetting, or 'nocturnal enuresis' is the correct term given to a child's inability to control night-time urination at an age when they should be able to. Enuresis can occur for a variety of reasons, including an immature bladder, a hormone deficit, or, in some cases, due to psychological issues.
Most children master daytime control of their bladder between two and three years of age. However, dry nights can take a lot longer - with one in ten children not making it before the age of six. According to some research, approximately 15 percent of children over three years of age wet the bed while they are asleep, with boys finding themselves in this situation more often than girls.
Bedwetting is characterised in two ways:
Primary enuresis refers to children who have never successfully toilet trained to the point of controlling urination. This is the most common type enuresis (80 percent of all childhood cases).
Secondary enuresis is when a child starts to wet the bed again following a long period of overnight dryness - usually after three to six months of regular control.
Bedwetting is considered to be a medical problem if it persists past the age of five in girls and six in boys, and occurs twice a week (or more) for three consecutive months.
Why is it happening?
Enuresis can have a number of underlying causes such as sleep disorders, a slower than usual development of bladder control, or be the result of emotional or psychological stress. Bedwetting can also be due to kidney or bladder problems, but this is more rare.
Common causes of lack of urine control in children include:
Diagnosis and treatment
In order to rule out a physical problem, your doctor will carry out a physical examination, order a urine test and possibly an abdominal ultrasound.
Overcoming enuresis often requires a shared effort between parents, child and doctor. There are numerous treatment options where bedwetting persists in older children, including:
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