Nocturnal enuresis. Treatment options

B T Steele1

  • 1Children's Hospital, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont.

Insights

Bed-wetting alarms offer a cure for motivated children over 7, unlike temporary relief from desmopressin. Underlying causes are usually not found through investigations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Urology
  • Behavioral Medicine

Background:

  • Nocturnal enuresis (bed-wetting) is a prevalent childhood issue causing distress.
  • Identifying underlying causes is uncommon; history is key.
  • Current treatments offer limited long-term solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of alarm conditioning versus medication for childhood bed-wetting.
  • To provide guidance on managing persistent nocturnal enuresis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of historical data and treatment outcomes.
  • Analysis of alarm conditioning device effectiveness.
  • Assessment of intranasal desmopressin acetate efficacy.

Main Results:

  • Alarm conditioning can cure bed-wetting in motivated children over 7 years old.
  • Intranasal desmopressin acetate provides only temporary relief.
  • Diagnostic investigations are rarely fruitful for identifying causes.

Conclusions:

  • Alarm conditioning is a viable and potentially curative treatment for motivated children.
  • Desmopressin acetate serves as a short-term management option.
  • A history-based approach is recommended for assessing bed-wetting causes.

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