Enuresis in a child: what to do?

Quite often parents face such a problem as enuresis in a child. This is a common disorder that is associated with urinary incontinence (usually at night).

To begin with, it should be noted that there are several varieties of this disease. For example, there is a constant incontinence - this is a rare disease that is associated with a violation of the nervous regulation of the bladder. But more common is nocturnal enuresis, when the baby simply does not wake up during urination. Such a problem can have both physiological and psychological reasons.

What is enuresis?

Enuresis is a disorder associated with uncontrolled urinary excretion. As a rule, until 3 - 4 years, the mechanism of control of urination is fully formed. Some children have this problem up to 12 years. Only 1% of people suffer this condition during adolescence. It is worth noting that boys suffer from such violations twice as often as girls.

Enuresis in a child can have two forms:

• Primary incontinence - children with such a problem never learned to control urination, so they wake up regularly;
• Secondary enuresis is observed in the event that after three years the child has already woken up at night to go to the toilet, but for one reason or another lost control over urination.

In the treatment it is very important to determine the cause of incontinence - the only way to choose the best methods of treatment.

Enuresis in the child: what is the reason?

As already mentioned, urinary incontinence can be associated with both physiological disorders and mental health.

• Recent studies have shown that in children with enuresis, the secretion of an antidiuretic hormone, vasopressin, is impaired. This substance is secreted by the hypothalamic-pituitary system. Thanks to it, the volume of urine decreases at night. In children with incontinence, the secretion of this hormonal substance is impaired.
• In some cases, the disease can be associated with fetal hypoxia during pregnancy - in such cases, there is a delay in the development of the central nervous system and, accordingly, the centers of regulation of urination.
• For reasons can be attributed and frequent or chronic diseases of the urinary system.
• It is noted that enuresis is aggravated during inflammatory and infectious diseases, as well as during hypothermia.
• However, very often the disease is associated with the mental state of the baby. Any emotional trauma can cause enuresis in the child. This can be, for example, moving, changing the environment (new kindergarten, school), divorcing parents, missing a pet, tense family situation, etc.

How to cure enuresis?

The choice of methods of treatment directly depends on the cause of the problem. If incontinence is caused by physiological changes or some diseases, then the administration of appropriate medications is prescribed. Some doctors also recommend that you clearly monitor the amount of urination, limit the amount of fluids drunk in the evening.

It is much more difficult to cope with the problem if the enuresis is caused by the emotional state of the baby. In such cases, it is necessary to gently identify with the child the cause of discontent, discomfort or fear. Sometimes it is necessary to study with a psychologist. But always remember that incontinence is a very painful topic for the child, and therefore, in no case should you scold or shame it, as the additional psychological load is unlikely to help the treatment.