I don't want to wet the bed anymore!

Pee reads: it can be cured "It will pass on its own, there's no need to overreact." For many parents, the problem of their children's nocturnal incontinence should not be viewed any differently. And in fact, 15% of bedwetting cases "evaporate" on their own each year... But there are still 2% of bedwetting cases around the age of 15. Yet early support would allow the child to be freed. Faced with the problem of nocturnal enuresis, the attitude of mothers oscillates between trivialization repressive measures (15% ask the child to change their sheets and 14% scold the child) As for doctors, they are rarely prepared to detect this type of problem . In most cases, they are content to give hygiene and dietary advice. "We are in a wait-and-see attitude ," regrets Dr. Henri Lottman, urologist at the Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital in Paris. A not so benign disease Furthermore, since bedwetting is not considered an illness, communication on the subject is not regulated. However, far from being a benign problem that will resolve itself over time, bedwetting can profoundly affect a child's psycho-emotional development and social integration. Anxiety, feelings of guilt, and rejection sometimes lead to a real withdrawal. According to a 2000 Sofres medical survey, 42% of bedwetting children reported avoiding sleeping at their friends' houses and 36% avoiding going outside their family. A very common pathology Primary isolated nocturnal enuresis affects more than 400,000 children between the ages of 5 and 10 in France, or nearly 9% of this population group. Aged over 5 , these children regularly wet the bed without ever having been toilet trained at night and without having experienced an episode of continence beyond 6 months. They are free from any organic, urological, neurological or psychiatric condition. They can also be toilet trained during the day. One of the explanatory factors lies in family history. For 74% of boys and 58% of girls, at least one of the two parents has experienced such a situation themselves. Also involved is the reduction in nocturnal secretion of ADH, an antidiuretic hormone that normally prevents nocturnal leaks. On the other hand, psychological aspects are not necessarily the cause of the problems. Early support It is important for the doctor to defuse the situation by explaining to the child how the bladder works and the reasons for the immaturity of their urinary system. There are also several treatments available. Audible alarm Widely used in the United States, it wakes the child as soon as he begins to urinate. Medication side Tricyclic antidepressants were used for a long time. They are no longer recommended today due to their side effects (tremors, constipation, tachycardia). Since 1989, desmopressin, a molecule whose structure is similar to antidiuretic hormone, has been available. The use of drug treatments is not systematic. According to the latest recommendations from health authorities, treatment is primarily based on educational and hygiene measures. However, relapse is almost systematic when the child stops medication. The child must learn to be aware of the need to urinate, to hold it in, and to do so at the appropriate time. The learning process can be long, and the investment of the child and family is required to achieve effective treatment. Bedwetting is not inevitable, but it should be taken seriously by parents.