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Nocturnal Enuresis

This refers to bed wetting at night. Children and even adults wet their bed in their sleep. While in adults it may be a problem of the overactive bladder. This needs proper assessment and evaluation. In children it might represent a basic defect in the maturation of the control system of the bladder.

The good thing about childhood nocturnal enuresis is that an often time it is physiological. Treatment generally involves adequate counseling for the parents as they are very anxious.

Behavioral Management forms the mainstay of treatment and would include restriction of fluid intake at bed time, keeping an alarm for waking up at night and positive reinforcement. Very often behavioral treatment is combined with medical treatment and this gives good results with a success rate of more than 90%.

Enuresis that does not respond to initial therapy warrants further investigations and management.