Should bedwetting be treated? And at what age should we consider it?
Questions we hear every day about the support of the Store. It's perfectly normal for a parent to ask these questions.
Even though in most cases nocturnal enuresis does not stem from upbringing or psychological disorders, it can, in the long run, disturb the child.
Feeling different from others, not being able to participate in certain activities (going to camp with school, sleeping over at a friend's house...), can lead to a loss of self-confidence in your child.
This could lead to a spiral of demotivation and have repercussions in other areas of her life. Untreated bedwetting can therefore lead to psychological problems.
It is advisable to consult your doctor if your child is still regularly wetting the bed after age 5. They will be able to determine the cause of your child's bedwetting and guide you towards appropriate treatment.
Help with enuresis (bedwetting) Source: Dr. med. Jean-Pierre Guignard, Honorary Professor of Pediatric Nephrology, University of Lausanne
There are two treatments currently accepted for the treatment of bedwetting (enuresis).
Behavioral therapy with an alarm system (Pipi-Stop)
With the alarm system (Pipi-Stop warning device), the continence system is trained naturally. The child acquires the reflex to hold their urine, bladder capacity increases, and urine becomes more concentrated.
TDrug therapy with the active substance Minirin® (desmopressin)
It is administered in tablet form. It is an antidiuretic hormone (ADH) that can decrease urine production during sleep.
The benefits of therapy with the alarm system
Efficiency
Many pediatricians attest that the alarm system is by far the most effective way to treat enuresis and also the one with the fewest relapses after its use.
To treat nocturnal enuresis, the current trend among doctors is to offer a method based on learning rather than resorting to medication.
The French ANAES study, carried out in 2003, evaluated the effectiveness, safety and economic consequences of using alarm systems in the treatment of nocturnal enuresis compared to treatment with antidiuretic hormone (desmopressin).
This study (ANAES, p. 37) highlighted that while desmopressin has some effectiveness during treatment, its effects fade rapidly at the end of treatment and that in the long term, the alarm proves more effective:
50% of patients treated with desmopressin relapsed after treatment compared to only 5% for patients treated with alarm system.
According to the Cochrane study, a relapse is 9 times less likely with the warning device than with the antidiuretic hormone.
Security
The alarm system does not cause any side effects.
With antidiuretic hormone, side effects were observed in approximately 7% of treated children, including:
- headaches
- nausea
- abdominal pain
- skin rashes...
- In very rare cases, there has been water poisoning.
Antidiuretic hormones in nasal spray form, already withdrawn in many European countries, are no longer offered in France for the treatment of enuresis because of considerable side effects.
The opinion of Store:
We naturally favor treating bedwetting with a bedwetting alarm system. Our experience in this area reinforces this choice every day. Many families contact us after a treatment with Minirin® was unsuccessful.
Beyond the fact that the clinical results speak for themselves, we have serious reservations about Minirin©, which, in addition to not providing significant or curative results, requires very close monitoring of the child during treatment. The side effects are not insignificant and can even be dangerous. We believe that Minirin© is a good "one-off and very limited-time" alternative if your child is going on a school trip. Outside of this specific context, we strongly advise against its use.
If the child is not yet ready for treatment with an alarm, there is a more suitable pyjama solution for our dear little ones.
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