Nocturnal eneuresis is nightime bedwetting. Most of the children who come to us have primary eneuresis. This means that they have not achieved being dry at night since a baby. Sometimes the child also has problems with urine control during the day. This is diurnal eneuresis and can be very distressing as the child gets older.

This can prevent the child from taking part in residentials with school or scouts for instance. It can cause issues with swimming lessons at school and impact on self-esteem. There are few success stories involving eneuresis on this website because parents and children are unwilling to reveal the issue. It is not because the problem is not solved at BrainChild.

Listen to this podcast from a caring parent who wanted others to hear her child’s story. Her child suffered severe daytime and night-time eneuresis.

video to follow

The cause: Primitive infant reflexes designed to assist a vaginal delivery may persist, particularly with lack of use in a C-section, or in the case of a fast, or assisted birth. These reflexes are also responsible for assisting the kidney and bladder to function in utero. If the reflexes are still active, urine control can be problematic. This may occur alongside issues with attention, anxiety or  being unable to be still.

The child cannot control it. The reflex is an automatic response.

NHS information:

Click to access CH105_Nocturnal_Enuresis_Information_for_Children.pdf

The NHS states:

Bedwetting is a widespread and distressing condition. There are half a million children and young people in the UK that suffer from night time wetting. Your child is not on their own. Around 1 in 15 seven year olds and 1 in 75 teenagers suffer from the condition. Although nocturnal enuresis is not fully understood there are interventions that can help. These will be discussed in your clinic appointment.

There is currently a waiting list in Cumbria. Parents tell us that the children that we have helped to become dry did not find a solution through the NHS route.