Involuntary urination, usually in children, because the child is asleep and does not wake up when the bladder is full. It is considered a disease from the age of 5-6 if it happens more than twice a day for 3 consecutive months.
There are several triggering causes: a hereditary problem (it used to happen to a close family member), a sleep disorder, stress or an associated medical condition.
It manifests itself with involuntary urination during the night, without any other symptoms.
The diagnosis is based on the patient's clinical history and physical examination. Urinalysis is occasionally performed to rule out infectious causes.
Treatment is behavioural, based on routines, with fixed schedules for peeing before bed and fluid restriction at night. It is recommended that reprimands are avoided and that positive reinforcement is given for nights of failure. Certain bladder exercises can help improve control.
In most cases, this disorder disappears in children from the age of 6.
- M. I. Úbeda, R. Martínez. Enuresis nocturna. Rev Pediatr Aten Primaria 2012. 14(22):37-43.
- CuidatePlus. Madrid. 2017. Enuresis; [citado el 18 de julio de 2017]. Disponible en: http://www.cuidateplus.com/enfermedades/psiquiatricas/enuresis.html
- UpToDate [Internet]. Waltham. 2017. Nocturnal enuresis in children: Etiology and evaluation; [citado el 18 de julio de 2017]. Disponible en: http://www.uptodate.com/contents/nocturnal-enuresis-in-children-etiology-and-evaluation?source=search_result&search=enureis+nocturna&selectedTitle=2~29
- UpToDate [Internet]. Waltham. 2017. Etiology and clinical features of bladder dysfunction in children; [citado el 18 de julio de 2017]. Disponible en: http://www.uptodate.com/contents/etiology-and-clinical-features-of-bladder-dysfunction-in-children?source=search_result&search=enureis+nocturna&selectedTitle=4~29
