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A United Kingdom population-based study of intellectual capacities in children with and without soiling, daytime

Carol Joinson1, Jon Heron, Richard Butler

  • 1Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom. carol.joinson@bristol.ac.uk

Pediatrics
|July 5, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children with bed-wetting showed lower intellectual capacities, particularly performance IQ, compared to controls. Soiling and daytime wetting had fewer intellectual differences, suggesting a greater role for central nervous system maturation in bed-wetting.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric neurology
  • Developmental psychology
  • Urology

Background:

  • Incontinence, including bed-wetting, daytime wetting, and soiling, is common in childhood.
  • Understanding the cognitive profiles associated with these conditions is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate intellectual capacity differences in children experiencing bed-wetting, daytime wetting, and soiling.
  • To explore the relationship between specific types of incontinence and cognitive function.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from over 6000 children (ages 7-9) in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
  • Assessed intellectual capacities using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition.
  • Collected data on wetting and soiling via parental questionnaires.

Main Results:

  • Bed-wetting was significantly associated with lower IQ scores, especially performance IQ, compared to controls.
  • These differences persisted even after excluding children with very low IQ and adjusting for confounding factors.
  • Soiling and daytime wetting showed minimal differences in IQ scores compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • Bed-wetting may be linked to central nervous system maturational deficits, impacting intellectual capacities.
  • Soiling and daytime wetting appear less associated with central nervous system involvement, with greater peripheral (bladder/gut) influence.
  • Further research into the neurodevelopmental aspects of childhood incontinence is warranted.
Abstract

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