Many parents are faced with the problem of childhood urinary incontinence in a child. Up to a certain age, this is considered quite normal. However, if such incidents happen after 5 years, you should start to worry. The essence of the disease is that the bladder is unable to hold the contents inside. During sleep, the muscles relax and involuntary urination occurs. In this review, we will learn what childhood enuresis is, the causes and treatment will also be considered.
Basic information
Until a certain age, the urinary system of the baby is at the stage of formation. From the moment of birth, adaptation to new conditions takes place, skills are formed aimed at satisfying physiological needs.
Many parents are interested in the causes of childhood enuresis and treatment. Dr. Komarovsky, a well-known pediatrician, believes that the presence of this problem may not be associated with anyserious pathologies in the body. With the right treatment, you can quickly get rid of involuntary urination during sleep. The main thing that parents should remember is a sparing attitude towards the child. In this case, the treatment should not be delayed.
The activity of all systems and organs is carried out through the brain. Therefore, the problem of urinary incontinence can be associated not only with physiological abnormalities, but also with psychological ones.
Causes of disease
Let's take a closer look at this. In a newborn child, the nervous system is not yet fully developed, so urination occurs uncontrollably. As they grow older, nerve endings develop and children begin to control the urge to go to the toilet on their own. On average, the full formation of the reflex occurs by 4 years. Depending on the individual characteristics of the organism, this may happen a little earlier or later. But if at the age of 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 years old the child still suffers from involuntary urination, this is a reason to sound the alarm.
What are the causes of nocturnal enuresis in children? Here are some of them:
- Hypoxic damage to the nervous system resulting from complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
- Hereditary predisposition: there is a special gene that contributes to an increase in the level of substances that inhibit the response of bladder cells to antidiuretic hormone.
- Urinary tract infection.
- Urological diseases.
- Stress, unfavorable psychological environment.
- Insufficient bladder capacity (may result from previous pyelonephritis).
- Congenital or acquired diseases of the spinal cord and brain.
- Allergy.
- Diabetes.
Unfavorable factors
What do you need to know about this? What causes enuresis in children? We will consider the causes and treatment in detail in this review. Children's enuresis develops as a result of the action of several factors. One reason may cause another. The simplest reason for involuntary urination at night can be excessive consumption of fluids before bed, cold foods, fruits, as well as hypothermia. Psychological factors such as night terrors, jealousy and fights can also lead to incontinence problems.
Who should I contact?
What to do if a child has been diagnosed with "children's nocturnal enuresis"? Causes and treatment should be determined by a qualified doctor. Primary diagnosis and treatment of any childhood diseases is done by a pediatrician. It is he who will have to determine a narrower specialist in this matter and give parents a referral for a comprehensive examination.
Given that enuresis can be caused by a number of factors of different nature, it is better to be examined by several doctors at once.
Namely:
- Urologist: will prescribe an ultrasound of the bladder and kidneys, a urine test. According to the results of the examinations, a medication can be prescribedtreatment.
- Psychologist: determines the presence of stressful situations in the family, and also checks the level of development of the child. Based on the results of the examinations, it can give parents specific recommendations.
- Neurologist: prescribes procedures to determine the state of the nervous system.
Represented specialists usually conduct examinations in turn, determining the causes of the disease in their field. If the doctors have difficulties with an accurate diagnosis, they can gather a council and send the baby for examination to other specialists - an endocrinologist and a nephrologist.
Treatment
Let's take a closer look at this aspect. How to overcome children's enuresis at night? The causes and treatment of this disease should be determined by the doctor. In no case do not try to independently diagnose and prescribe therapy. This can only make the situation worse. Each specific case requires an individual approach. Drug treatment is prescribed only according to the results of the diagnosis of the condition of the bladder and muscles. Also, the doctor may prescribe tests to detect the level of the hormone vasopressin. It regulates fluid levels in the body.
Based on the results, the doctor may prescribe the following medications:
- "Driptan": helps with increased bladder tone.
- "Minirin": made in the form of drops in the nose, buried in the child before bedtime.
- "Nootropil" and "Persen", as well as B vitamins: are prescribed inif nocturnal enuresis is of a neurotic nature.
All of the above drugs can only be used as directed by a doctor, in compliance with the dosage and rules of administration.
Homeopathic remedies
So what are they? What to do if traditional drugs do not help to overcome childhood enuresis at night? Treatment with homeopathic remedies in some cases brings good results. The drug "Pulsatilla" helps in the presence of urinary tract infections. This tool can also be used to treat children with increased emotional excitability. "Gelzemium" is effective in case of relaxation of the muscles of the bladder in the event of stressful situations. Phosphorous preparations help children who drink a lot of cold water. With urinary incontinence during coughing or laughter, Sepia helps well.
Modern homeopathic remedies may well cure enuresis, provided the diagnosis is correct.
Non-pharmacological methods
What are they and what is their speci alty? What other methods can be used to combat such a disease as childhood nocturnal enuresis? Treatment with medications does not always help, especially in cases where the cause of the disease lies in the psychological plane. Here are the factors that will contribute to the normalization of the urination process:
- Properly organized daily routine. Regulation of all processes will accustom the body tointernal discipline. It is important that the baby eats, walks and sleeps at strictly defined hours. Teach your child not to eat 3 hours before bedtime.
- Bladder workouts. The child must be able to control the process of urination.
- Motivation. Such therapy is a powerful tool for children suffering from nocturnal enuresis. However, it can only be applied if the causes of the problem are psychological. For "dry" nights, the baby should be encouraged.
- Physiotherapy: electrophoresis, acupuncture, electrosleep, magnetotherapy, circular showers and therapeutic exercises improve brain function and stimulate nerve endings.
- Psychotherapy. With children's enuresis, self-hypnosis techniques are very effective. However, they should be used only under the strict supervision of a specialist. Such exercises help restore the reflex connection between the central nervous system and the muscles of the bladder. With a pronounced nature of bedwetting, tools can be used to shift depressive states. Particular attention should also be paid to creating a favorable psychological environment in the family.
Traditional medicine
Let's take a closer look at this. The treatment of childhood enuresis with folk remedies deserves special attention. There are a huge number of effective recipes that allow you to completely get rid of the symptoms of the disease. They are tested by several generations in practice and contain only natural ingredients.
Consider the most popular recipes:
- A tablespoon of dill is brewed in a glass of boiling water and allowed to brew for an hour. The infusion should be drunk in the morning before meals for half a glass.
- Cook compote from lingonberries with the addition of 2 tablespoons of rose hips. The infusion can be drunk several times a day. It has a calming effect on the body's nervous system.
- Two tablespoons of rose hips are poured with a liter of boiling water and insisted. Drink instead of tea during the day. Rosehip helps strengthen nerve cells.
- Cowberry leaves and berries (half a glass) should be boiled with 500 ml of water. The resulting broth is infused for half an hour, filtered and drunk throughout the day.
- 30 grams of crushed plantain leaves are brewed in 350 ml of hot water and allowed to brew. The finished composition is taken 4 times a day, 10 grams each.
- To relieve the symptoms of enuresis, the collection of herbs of yarrow, knotweed, blackberry leaves and St. John's wort helps well. The ingredients are crushed and mixed in equal proportions. 10 grams of the finished mixture is poured into 300 ml of boiling water and infused in a thermos for 2 hours. Take the resulting infusion 5 times a day before meals.
How effective is the treatment of childhood enuresis with folk remedies? Such methods should be used only after consultation with a specialist. It is better to use them as an addition to the main treatment. Herbal teas can also be used as a prophylactic.
Advice for parents
Howto overcome children's enuresis? Treatment at home will not be effective if parents rely only on the effectiveness of drugs. This is the main mistake. There are several universal recommendations for parents of children suffering from enuresis:
- Support the child, explain to him that many children face the same problem.
- Don't scold or punish your child for wet sheets. This is not his fault, but a physiological problem that you must solve together with him.
- Don't put your baby in a diaper at night. Often because of this, at the age of 4-5 years, children's enuresis occurs. The causes and treatment in this case will be very difficult to determine. A diaper is needed only in certain cases, for example, if you have a long trip or a trip to visit. From the age of one and a half, the child should gradually forget about the existence of this item, and the task of the parents is to teach him to use the potty.
- Try to limit your fluid intake in the evening. Give your child more fluids in the morning.
- Be sure to make your child go to the bathroom before bed.
- Follow your baby's daily routine. The child must go to bed no later than 9 pm.
- It's best to avoid getting too excited before bed. Try not to arrange active games and watching scary movies.
- Sometimes parents wake up a child at night to go to the bathroom. However, doctors do not recommend doing this, since it is quite difficult to completely wake up a child, and he willdo half asleep. If you decide to wake the child at night, then do it by bringing him to a fully conscious state. Otherwise, this will lead to the fixation of the enuresis mechanism.
- Many people prefer to treat children's enuresis with herbs. Alternative treatment is, of course, good, but traditional therapy should not be completely discounted.
- If your child is afraid to be alone in the dark, leave him a night light at night. You can also try leaving the door to your parents' bedroom open.
- Be sure to praise your child for "dry" nights.
- If the problem is psychological, by all means try herbal medicine to treat it. Help inhalations with sedative medicinal herbs, such as mint, valerian, motherwort. Coniferous baths give a good effect.
- Normalize relationships within the family. Try to deal with the child's school problems.
- You should approach the course of treatment with all responsibility. If the disease is not cured, it can resume with the same force.
Conclusion
In this review, we examined in detail what constitutes children's enuresis at night. Information about the causes and treatment of this disease is also presented. An accurate diagnosis can only be made by a qualified specialist on the basis of tests and examinations. Depending on the causes of the disease, various therapies can be used.
However, not always the disease occurs as a result of some serious pathologies. Due to a simple violation of the daily routine, children's enuresis can also develop. Treatment Dr. Komarovsky, a pediatrician with extensive experience, advises starting with the correct organization of the baby's schedule.
If enuresis is caused by infection and inflammation, you will definitely need to take medication. You can also supplement the treatment with folk remedies. Physiotherapy helps to achieve a good result.
Remember, love, care and support of loved ones is very important for any baby!
