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Dr Catherine
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Girl
4-7 years

Hi Balaram, Your son is experiencing secondary enuresis which occurs when a child has had proper control over their bladder during the night for a period of six months or more then begins to wet again. Secondary enuresis often catches children and families by surprise and can be particularly distressing for all involved. Secondary bedwetting appears to have two main causes: physical and psychological. While physical causes of secondary bedwetting are rare and include such things as chronic constipation, tapeworms and urinary tract infections, any child who experiences a return to daytime or nighttime wetting should consult a medical professional to rule out the possibility of an underlying medical cause. The majority of secondary bedwetting results from emotional problems or challenges. All children react differently to stress. Signs of stress include physical symptoms such as ongoing headaches and stomach aches, vomiting as well as nighttime or daytime wetting. Common psychological stressors for children include moving house, parental separation and starting school. It is important to keep in mind that stress does not always result from a negative experience, with some children experiencing stress when they are overwhelmed or over-excited by new situations. Sometimes just the extra demands of a novel setting can result in stress-related behaviours. Help him to find words to express his feelings, such as happy, excited, sad, angry, or scared. Typically the management of secondary nocturnal enuresis involves addressing the underlying cause. If your son’s bedwetting is the result of a medical problem, then the treatment will depend on the exact diagnosis. When there are significant emotional or social stressors associated with secondary bedwetting, then attention to these issues should take priority over the different treatments for bedwetting. If there is no apparent underlying physical or psychological cause then the treatment options are the same as those recommend for children experiencing primary bedwetting. All the best! Regards, Dr Cathrine