Enuresis in boys and girls

Enuresis is characterized by involuntary urination, most often at night, in children who must already be able to control the activity of their bladder. Numerous studies indicate that enuresis is not a disease, but a kind of transitional stage between the absent and the available control of physiological processes.

Specialists can not pinpoint the age boundary separating involuntary urination, which is considered normal for a child, and pathological enuresis. It is believed that if a child is still unable to control urination after reaching the age of five, it makes sense to give the enuresis a clinical significance and regard it already as a pathology requiring medical attention. This problem is typical for 15-20% of five-year-olds and 7-12% of six-year-olds. In rare cases, involuntary urination can occur in children under 12 years, in very rare - in adolescents under 18 years. In this case, enuresis in boys develops 1.5-2 times more often than in girls. People who in childhood had such a problem, can periodically test it in their adult age.

Enuresis in boys and girls: the main causes

1. As everyone knows, in children the regulation of urination is carried out by the spinal center, therefore it occurs involuntarily. At the age of two to five years, the child's urination centers form in the brain, which begin to interact with the spinal center, as a result, gradually the process of urination becomes fully controlled. When there is no interaction between the centers, the tone of the bladder is broken and enuresis (primary) develops.
2. Some urological and infectious diseases are capable of provoking a chronic urinary retention, and enuresis may develop against it. So, enuresis in boys can be a consequence of balanoposthitis, and in girls - vulvovaginitis.
3. If one of the parents had such a problem, then the probability of its appearance in the child increases. Studies confirmed the fact that enuresis can occur due to hereditary predisposition. Enuresis in boys happens more often, including due to the fact that hereditary factors affect them more than girls.
4. Psychologically, injuries can provoke enuresis (secondary). In this case, it develops as a result of the impact on the child of some stress factor, for example, moving, divorcing parents.
5. Enuresis in boys and girls can also arise due to a sound sleep. Some children are so tightly asleep that they do not wake up even when they urge to urinate.

Treatment of enuresis

Nocturnal enuresis in boys treatment is the same as that of girls. Children are prescribed a special drinking regimen, which excludes the use of liquid later than two hours before bedtime. Often the problem is caused by failures in the release of vasopressin (hormone), in this case, children are prescribed the use of its synthetic analogue - desmopressin, to cure the enuresis (in boys the treatment may be longer). If there is a neurotic enuresis, a psychological correction is necessary with the help of vitamin therapy and the use of drugs that can improve the metabolic processes in the brain. Complex treatment should also include physiotherapy, including special gymnastics and massage. Parents should not forget that treatment of enuresis is a long process, so do not wait from the therapy of instant results. Be patient and do not put pressure on the child, otherwise the process of treatment can become more complicated.