Encopresis is a common condition that is often associated with psychosocial health disorders but only a small proportion of the children with encopresis are taken to a general practitioner to discuss their problem.

To assess the prevalence and characteristics of enuresis nocturna in adults, the treatment they received and the perceived impact, a random sample of 13081 non-institutionalized adults (18-64 years old) were asked to participate in the study in January-March 1996. The response rate was 87%. A personal computer questionnaire included 23 questions on frequency of bedwetting, daytime wetting, treatment and perceived impact. Any respondent reporting bedwetting at least once during the previous 4 weeks was considered to have enuresis nocturna. The overall prevalence of enuresis nocturna was 0.5%. Differences between age groups and sexes were not significant. Fifty percent of men and 19% of women reporting enuresis nocturna had primary enuresis nocturna, of those with enuresis nocturna, 12% of men and 29% of women had always daytime incontinence. Fifty percent of the men and 35% of the women had never consulted a care provider for their bedwetting and 38% of the men and 26% of the women had done nothing to become dry. Only 30% believed that bedwetting was treatable. Bedwetting was associated with several psychosocial problems. Enuresis nocturna in adults is common and may lead to embarrassment and discomfort. It may affect careers, social life and personal relationships. Adults should be more aware that bedwetting is a treatable problem. More information should be given on this issue.

The present study examined construct equivalence of the teacher Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and compared mean scores in an ethnically diverse sample of children living in the Netherlands. Elementary schoolteachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for 2,185 children aged 6 to 10 years of the four largest ethnic groups in the Netherlands, namely native Dutch ( n = 684) and Moroccan ( n = 702), Turkish ( n = 434), and Surinamese ( n = 365) immigrant children. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis suggested the factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to be invariant across children’s ethnicity and gender. Additionally, the factor structure appeared to be similar for Dutch and Surinamese teachers. However, mean scores on emotional problems, hyperactivity, conduct problems, prosocial behavior, and impairment varied significantly according to ethnicity and gender. Mean scores on peer problems differed significantly for boys and girls, but not across ethnicity. Whether mean differences reflect a method bias or actual differences in classroom behaviors is discussed and needs further research.

Many parents are not aware that chronic ailments in their child may be caused by FI. The associations of FI and chronic complaints are strong enough to justify the discussion with parents during the client contacts by school physicians, in order to assess the advantages of consulting a paediatrician or allergologist.

Hospital based studies have shown that oligomenorrhoeic adolescents have high luteinizing hormone (LH) and androgen concentrations, endocrine signs of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The prevalence of these abnormalities in an unselected population of adolescents is not known. We determined LH, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), androstenedione, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), oestradiol and prolactin concentrations in unselected population samples of adolescents with oligomenorrhoea, secondary amenorrhoea and regular menstrual cycles. A total of 2248 white, west European adolescents, aged 15.3 ⍨ 0.6 (mean ⍨ SD) years, participated. Blood was taken from 107 adolescents with regular menstrual cycles, 52 with oligomenorrhoea and four with secondary amenorrhoea. Oligomenorrhoeic adolescents had higher mean LH, androstenedione, testosterone, DHEAS and oestradiol concentrations compared with girls with regular menstrual cycles; 57% of the oligomenorrhoeic girls had LH or androgen concentrations above the 95th centile of adolescents with regular menstrual cycles. None of the 52 oligomenorrhoeic girls and only one of four girls with secondary amenorrhoea had a hypogonadotrophic endocrine pattern. The present study and available literature support the view that oligomenorrhoea in adolescents is not a stage in the physiological maturation of the hypothalamic pituitary-ovarian axis but an early sign of PCOS associated with subfertility. Physicians should consider endocrine evaluation before reassuring oligomenorrhoeic girls or prescribing oral contraceptives to these girls.