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Secondary enuresis: post-traumatic stress disorder in children after car accidents
T Eidlitz-Markus1, A Shuper, J Amir
1Department of Pediatric Day Care, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
Insights
Secondary nocturnal enuresis in children can occur after a motor vehicle accident. This can be due to psychological trauma or head injuries, highlighting the importance of considering both factors.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Trauma Psychology
Background:
- Secondary nocturnal enuresis is a frequent complaint in children post-motor vehicle accident (MVA).
- Reliability of this complaint can be influenced by its association with insurance claims.
Observation:
- A series of five children presenting with secondary nocturnal enuresis following an MVA were evaluated.
- Behavioral symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were noted in four of the five children.
Findings:
- Four children exhibited signs of head trauma; one experienced psychological trauma without physical injury.
- The onset of enuresis was consistently preceded by a motor vehicle accident in all cases.
Implications:
- Nocturnal enuresis post-MVA can stem from psychological trauma or organic head injury.
- Psychological mechanisms are significant contributors to nocturnal enuresis, alongside traditionally recognized organic causes.
Background:
In our experience, secondary enuresis nocturna is a common complaint among children after a motor vehicle accident. However, as these children are often brought for examination as part of an insurance compensation claim, this complaint is not always reliable.
Objective:
To describe a series of children in whom secondary enuresis occurred after a motor vehicle accident.
Methods And Results:
Five children were brought to our clinic for evaluation of secondary nocturnal enuresis. Review of past history revealed a car accident preceding the onset of the enuresis. All but one had additional behavioral symptoms typical of post-traumatic stress disorder. Four children had evidence of head trauma, and one had psychological but no physical trauma.
Conclusions:
Nocturnal enuresis can occur after a motor vehicle accident due either to purely psychological trauma or organic head trauma. While nocturnal enuresis is generally attributed to organic causes, psychological mechanisms also play a significant role.