Frequently Asked Questions
I was told by my neighbor that my child’s bedwetting is caused by psychological disturbances. Is it true?
No, enuresis is not caused directly by psychological disturbances but having enuresis
may cause psychological problems, especially affecting self-esteem. These changes normalize after successful treatment of enuresis. Any psychological or behavioral problem that is not a consequence of bedwetting should be managed independently of the enuresis symptoms.
My 6-year-old grandchild has always wet the bed and his parents had the same problem - is bedwetting a genetic disease?
Bedwetting is clearly an inherited disease and in approximately 70% of cases there is
at least one other family member who has or had the same problem as a child. For example, if a mother was a bedwetter as a child, there is a 7 times increased risk that her children will also suffer from enuresis. A specific gene that causes enuresis has not been identified yet but current research is focusing on this assignment.
My son does not wake up at night and wets the bed while sleeping. Is he a deep sleeper?
It is well known that children with bedwetting are unable to wake up when they pee at
night. It has been believed for many years that the sleep of bedwetters is too deep but recent research has indicated that bedwetters have poor sleep quality with many incomplete arousals (awakenings). They also seem to have many ‘periodic limb movements’ during sleep, a sign that may be related to the arousal attempts.
What are the most common causes of bedwetting and is it possible to identify the underlying cause in my child?
Increased night-time urine production (=” nocturnal polyuria) and reduced night-time
bladder capacity are the two most common causes of bedwetting. It is important to know that these two causes may occur at the same time in a child. It is possible to recognize which of these two factors play a role in your child by simple home recording tools. By identifying the largest voided volume on a home diary (=” frequency-volume-chart”) it is possible to ascertain whether a child is suffering from ‘reduced bladder capacity’ (by comparing with published normal values). By home recording of nocturnal urine volume, it is possible to evaluate whether the child has nocturnal polyuria. With this method, diapers are weighed at bedtime and again the following morning. The difference in diaper weight plus the volume of any urine produced during the night plus the volume of the first urine produced in the morning constitutes the total nighttime urine volume. Also, there are internationally accepted normal reference values for nocturnal polyuria.
Why do we have to see a Urologist or a Pediatrician for this condition?
Although most children with bedwetting since infancy have no underlying disease in
either the nerve system that controls bladder function or in the anatomy of the urinary tract, this should be ruled out by a visit to your doctor. Also, the doctor will determine whether bedwetting is the only problem or if there are other issues that need to be addressed. This could be wetting during day-time, signs of ‘overactive bladder’ (frequent and strong sensation to void), fecal incontinence and constipation, and recurrent urinary tract infections. If these conditions are present, they should be treated before any treatment for bedwetting is initiated.
