Patient's question:
Patient Gender: My son is five years old and sometimes still wets the bed. What should I do?Patient Age: Five years old
Current General Condition:
Detailed Medical History and Purpose of Consultation: Wetting the bed
Previous Diagnoses and Treatment History and Effect: He has taken medication before, but it was not very effective.
Doctor's answer:
Hello: Bedwetting in children, also known as enuresis, refers to the inability of children over the age of three to control urination after falling asleep, resulting in unconscious bedwetting. Habitual enuresis can weaken children, affect their physical health and intellectual development, and frequent bedwetting can also bring to the family.There are generally two types of enuresis in children: functional and organic. Most cases of bedwetting in children are functional, caused by dysfunction of the higher centers of the cerebral cortex. Common causes include psychological factors, such as excessive fatigue, mental tension, sudden fright, fear and shyness, difficulty adapting to a new environment, and the lack of nighttime urination habits from a young age. A few cases of bedwetting are organic, often caused by conditions such as spina bifida, spinal meningitis, spinal cord injury, epilepsy, underdeveloped brain, small bladder capacity, urinary tract infections, bladder stones, phimosis, anal fissures, and pinworms. For organic conditions, it is important to seek medical treatment promptly. Once the disease is cured, the enuresis will also be resolved.
Functional enuresis can be completely cured, and the following points should be noted:
① Parents should treat their child's bedwetting correctly. Bedwetting is unconscious, and parents should show sympathy, understanding, and support. They must never beat or abandon the child.
② Relieve psychological stress. Children aged three and older have begun to understand. Parents should persuade and comfort the child, letting them know that this is a temporary functional disorder that can be cured, thereby alleviating their stress and building confidence in recovery.
③ Establish a reasonable daily routine. Avoid letting the child play too hard during the day, ensure they nap for 1–2 hours in the afternoon, and avoid giving them liquid diets after 4 p.m. Reduce the amount of soup or liquid in the evening meal, have the child urinate before bed, and wake them up twice during the night to urinate. Persistence in this routine can help form a conditioned reflex, forming a habit and curing most children. For those with more stubborn cases, medication or acupuncture may also be used for treatment.