The Wet Child
Nocturnal enuresis or bedwetting is not uncommon, typically 8% of 8 year olds
and 5% of 10 year olds still suffer from this problem. Various forms of
management involve use of alarm systems, waking them up in the middle of the
night, use of star charts, and in selected cases some medications may be tried.
The success rate is variable, this can be a
difficult condition to treat and sometimes all one can do is wait for the
children to outgrow this problem.
Daytime urinary incontinence, on the other hand, is a different entity
altogether. Children with this condition may simply have an immature bladder,
but an early referral to a paediatric urologist is recommended for appropriate
investigations.