Question
A 10-year-old child who used to never wet the bed is now wetting the bed every night, and sometimes during naps as well. What could be causing this, and what should be done?
Answer
Enuresis can be categorized into primary and secondary types. Primary enuresis is more common, with about 80% of cases having a family history and no organic inflammation. Secondary enuresis is often caused by systemic and urinary diseases, such as diabetes, diabetes insipidus, and others. Other factors like intellectual disability, nervous or psychiatric trauma, urinary tract malformations, and infections, particularly cystitis and urethritis, can lead to secondary enuresis. The effectiveness of medication for primary enuresis is approximately 80%, with desmopressin, an antidiuretic, being commonly used to increase urine output. In the case of secondary enuresis, symptoms disappear after the underlying disease is resolved.