What is enuresis?

Also known as: nocturnal enuresis, bed wetting, urinary incontinence, Primary nocturnal enuresis, nighttime incontinence.

Most children are dry at night by 5 years of age. Enuresis may be Primary or Secondary.

Primary bedwetting/nocturnal enuresis is the common problem (about 7-10% of children; twice as common in boys) of multiple episodes of wetting the bed, only at night when asleep, over the age of  7 years, who have no history of a urinary tract infection.

Many children (about 15%) will outgrow their symptoms every year; some may need a little help. Very few (approx. 2%) will have symptoms to adulthood.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM