Bedwetting
(Nocturnal Enuresis)

Urinary Incontinence in Women Slideshow Urinary Incontinence in Men Slideshow Incontinence: Food & Drinks That Make You Gotta Go Slideshow

Medical Author: David Perlstein, MD, FAAP
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

• What is bedwetting?
• What are the types of bedwetting?
• What is primary bedwetting?
• What is the basic problem in primary bedwetting?
• Is primary bedwetting due to emotional problems?
• How is primary bedwetting treated?
• How common is secondary bedwetting?
• What causes secondary bedwetting?
• How is the cause of secondary bedwetting diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for secondary bedwetting?
• What is the outlook (prognosis) for children with bedwetting?
• Bedwetting At A Glance
• Find a local Pediatrician in your town

What is bedwetting?

Bedwetting, also called nocturnal enuresis, is the involuntary passage of urine (urinary incontinence) while asleep. Inherent in the definition of bedwetting is satisfactory bladder control while the person is awake. Therefore, urination while awake is a different condition and has a variety of difference causes than bedwetting.

What are the types of bedwetting?

There are two types of bedwetting:

1. Primary enuresis: bedwetting since infancy



2. Secondary enuresis: wetting developed after being continually dry for a minimum of six months

What is primary bedwetting?

Primary bedwetting is viewed as a delay in maturation of the nervous system. At 5 years of age, approximately 20% of children wet the bed at least once a month, with about 5% of males and 1% of females wetting nightly. By 6 years of age, only about 10% of children are bedwetters -- the large majority being boys. The percentage of all children who are bedwetters continues to diminish by 50% each year after 5 years of age. Family history plays a big role in predicting primary bedwetting. If one parent was a bedwetter, the offspring have a 45% chance of a developing primary enuresis as well.

What is the basic problem in primary bedwetting?

The fundamental problem for children with primary bedwetting is the inability to recognize messages of the nervous system sent by the full bladder to the sleep arousal centers of the brain while asleep. In addition, bladder capacity is often smaller in bedwetting children than in their peers.