Patient's question:
My daughter is 12 years old. She has had frequent urination (during the day) since she was young, but each time she only urinates a little. The time interval between urination during the day is usually no more than an hour. However, she sleeps well at night and doesn't wet the bed. The problem is that she struggles to control her frequent urination during the day, saying she "can't hold it" and sometimes wets her pants.Past treatment and outcomes: We took her to the hospital for check-ups, and the tests did not reveal any urinary tract infections.
Explanation: During her infancy and early childhood, her mother was afraid she would wet her pants, so she frequently made her go to the bathroom, sometimes every 10 to 20 minutes, with each urination being just a little. I suspect that this experience might have caused some kind of psychological conditioning. I would like to ask the doctor to speculate on the cause and what methods can correct this issue.
Doctor's answer:
Frequent urination in children is often caused by inflammation or irritation, or due to neurogenic urinary frequency. Clinical diagnosis requires differentiation. If the urethral orifice is swollen or there is discharge, it is likely due to inflammation. Neurogenic urinary frequency is characterized by frequent urination with small urine volume. It often occurs before going to bed but subsides after sleeping. First, avoid excessive attention or criticism, refrain from scolding or blaming, and instead motivate the child to shorten the time between two urinations as much as possible. If there is progress, appropriate rewards can be given. Education alone is sufficient. The patient can take some oral medications, supplement with vitamins, and pay attention to self-care, including a proper diet and avoiding cold foods. It is hoped that gynecological urinary frequency patients can recover quickly.