Information/Appointments
For more information, or to arrange for an appointment at the
Bed-wetting Clinic, call 216/444-KIDS (5437) or 800/223-2273,
ext. 45437, and select the option for General Pediatrics. Please
also visit us at www.clevelandclinic.org/pediatrics.
ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S BED-WETTING?
Nighttime bed-wetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is a common problem
among young children. According to the National Enuresis Society,
five to seven million U.S. children older than six experience
nighttime bed-wetting. By age seven, 10 percent of children wet
the bed. By age 12, about 3 percent of children wet the bed. Although
bed-wetting is frustrating for both parents and children, most
children outgrow it.
Parents should know that bed-wetting usually is
not caused by an emotional or behavioral problem. Sometimes, a
physical problem is causing the bed-wetting. For example, enuresis
may be linked with diabetes, a urinary tract infection, or a functional
or structural defect in the urinary tract.
Recent research shows that some children with nocturnal
enuresis don't produce enough antidiuretic hormone during sleep.
The lack of this hormone causes their bodies to produce more urine
than their bladders can hold and, thus, they often wet the bed.
Usually the exact reason an individual child wets
the bed cannot be determined, although heredity often plays a
large role in bed-wetting. In any case, it's important to treat
the problem before your child develops emotional issues, such
as low self-esteem.
When Should You Seek Help?
Seek the advice of a pediatrician with experience identifying
and treating enuresis if any of the following apply:
*· your child is over six years old, wets
the bed and is upset by wetting the bed
*· your child has suddenly begun to wet the bed after a
three- to six-month dry period
*· your child wets or has a bowel movement in his pants
during the day
*· your child's bed-wetting is affecting functioning and/or
causing problems at home
Keep in mind that most treatments for bed-wetting
are successful only if the bed-wetter wants to work on keeping
the bed dry.
A Specialty Clinic for Bed-wetting
At The Children's Hospital at The Cleveland Clinic, a team of
pediatric experts makes up our Bed-wetting Clinic. Led by a pediatrician,
the team consists of pediatric urologists, nephrologists, behavioral
medicine specialists and nurses. A medical history, physical exam
and discussions with the parents and child will help identify
a possible cause of enuresis and help the pediatrician tailor
an appropriate treatment plan.
Bed-wetting is Treatable
Although physicians often cannot pinpoint the exact cause of enuresis,
they usually are able to successfully treat bed-wetting. Behavior
therapy is effective in most cases of enuresis and may include
bladder control exercises, waking the child during the night,
positive feedback, moisture alarms and habit modification (e.g.,
modifying the child's eating and drinking patterns before bedtime).
Generally, medication is indicated if the disorder
interferes with the child's functioning and behavior therapy is
unsuccessful. The medications most often used are desmopressin
acetate, which decreases the amount of urine produced by the kidneys,
and, for daytime wetting, oxybutynin chloride (Ditropan), which
relaxes the muscles that cause the urge to urinate.
The Cleveland Clinic currently is researching the
use of complementary therapies, including acupuncture, to treat
bed-wetting.
The Children's Hospital: Inspiring Potential
The Children's Hospital at The Cleveland Clinic has one goal:
restoring health to children and adolescents so they may realize
their full potential. Since its doors opened in 1921, The Cleveland
Clinic routinely has been treating pediatric patients.
Today, The Children's Hospital boasts a staff of
more than 100 board-certified pediatricians and pediatric specialists.
Our general pediatricians are the most recognized by their peers
for medical excellence within Northeast Ohio, and they have expertise
ranging from adolescent and sports medicine to asthma, allergies
and ear infections.
Seek the advice of a pediatrician with experience identifying
and treating enuresis if any of the following apply:
*· your child is over
six years old, wets the bed and is upset by wetting the bed
*· your child has suddenly begun to wet the bed after a
three- to six-month dry period
*· your child wets or has a bowel movement in his pants
during the day
*· your child's bed-wetting is affecting functioning and/or
causing problems at home
Keep in mind that most treatments
for bed-wetting are successful only if the bed-wetter wants to
work on keeping the bed dry.
A Specialty Clinic for Bed-wetting
At The Children's Hospital at The Cleveland Clinic, a team of
pediatric experts makes up our Bed-wetting Clinic. Led by a pediatrician,
the team consists of pediatric urologists, nephrologists, behavioral
medicine specialists and nurses. A medical history, physical exam
and discussions with the parents and child will help identify
a possible cause of enuresis and help the pediatrician tailor
an appropriate treatment plan.
Bed-wetting is Treatable
Although physicians often cannot pinpoint the exact cause of enuresis,
they usually are able to successfully treat bed-wetting. Behavior
therapy is effective in most cases of enuresis and may include
bladder control exercises, waking the child during the night,
positive feedback, moisture alarms and habit modification (e.g.,
modifying the child's eating and drinking patterns before bedtime).
Generally, medication is indicated
if the disorder interferes with the child's functioning and behavior
therapy is unsuccessful. The medications most often used are desmopressin
acetate, which decreases the amount of urine produced by the kidneys,
and, for daytime wetting, oxybutynin chloride (Ditropan), which
relaxes the muscles that cause the urge to urinate.
The Cleveland Clinic currently
is researching the use of complementary therapies, including acupuncture,
to treat bed-wetting.
The Children's Hospital: Inspiring
Potential
The Children's Hospital at The Cleveland Clinic has one goal:
restoring health to children and adolescents so they may realize
their full potential. Since its doors opened in 1921, The Cleveland
Clinic routinely has been treating pediatric patients.
Today, The Children's Hospital
boasts a staff of more than 100 board-certified pediatricians
and pediatric specialists. Our general pediatricians are the most
recognized by their peers for medical excellence within Northeast
Ohio, and they have expertise ranging from adolescent and sports
medicine to asthma, allergies and ear infections.
