Urinary incontinence and nocturia in healthy schoolchildren

A frequency/volume chart was used to investigate the micturition pattern of healthy schoolchildren, aged 7-15 years. Of 242 objectively and subjectively healthy children, incontinence was recorded by 36 (14.9%). Nocturnal enuresis, defined as at least one wet night in three months, occurred in 19 (7.9%) children and daytime incontinence occurred with the same frequency. Four girls had both symptoms. Twenty-seven (11.2%) children woke up to void during the night of the investigation but habitual nocturia was established for only 4.1%. There was no difference in the micturition pattern between continent and incontinent children, and there was no correlation between incontinence, nocturnal micturitions and recorded oral fluid intake. At a follow-up one year later, using a questionnaire administrated to the same children, a persistent high rate of incontinence confirmed the original findings.