The epidemiology of childhood enuresis in Australia

Abstract

Objective To establish the prevalence of enuresis in 5–12‐year‐old Australian children, to evaluate the impact of enuresis on the children and their families and to identify common methods of managing enuresis. Subjects and methods A self‐administered questionnaire was completed voluntarily by the parents of 2292 5–12‐year‐old children during attendance at electoral polling booths in Sydney, Australia. The questionnaire inquired specifically after the child's age, gender and frequency of wetting. Results From a response rate of 74%, the overall prevalence of any reported nocturnal enuresis was 18.9% and any day wetting 5.5%. The prevalence of marked nocturnal enuresis (at least weekly) and marked day wetting was 5.1% and 1.4%, respectively. Using a 10‐point visual analogue scale to measure parental concern about their child's enuresis, the mean concern score was 3.1. There was a moderate but significant relationship between the frequency of enuretic episodes and the parental concern score. Of the enuretic children, 34% had consulted with a health worker. These children were 1.4 years older and wet more frequently than those enuretic children who had not sought help. The management of enuresis involved a mean of 3.9 strategies, primarily behavioural techniques administered by the family. The lowest cure rate was seen in the children who wet more frequently. Significantly more of the dry children woke spontaneously at night to void compared with the enuretic children. There was a trend towards greater spontaneous arousal in the children who wet less frequently. Conclusion These results suggest that prevalence rates for day and night wetting in Australia are similar to those in previous studies reported from the northern hemisphere. Australian families did not report a high level of concern about enuresis, even in the older child. The problem was managed primarily within the family.

Development of Parasomnias From Childhood to Early Adolescence

“…However, our overall prevalence (15.7%) is consistent with results of other studies showing frequencies between 11% and 18.9%. 8,12,13,23,59,60 Prevalence rates found in this longitudinal study of children 11, 12, and 13 years old (between 2.0% and 4.0%) are also similar to those reported in other longitudinal studies. 7,9,11 When we considered all enuretic children for whom the data were available from ages 3 to 13 years, we found that ϳ88% of all enuretic children had outgrown this condition by 13 years old.…”

“…61 The present results confirm the well-established gender difference in enuresis, with more males being affected. 8,23,26,59,60,62 Enuresis has previously been found to be associated with sleepwalking in naval recruits. 63 Klackenberg 54 also found a significant covariation between sleepwalking and enuresis between ages 4 and 16 years.…”

The Evaluation of Patients Diagnosed with Monosymptomatic Nocturnal Enuresis

“…Farklı ülkelerden 6-11 yaş grubunda enürezis sıklığı %1,4 ile 28 arasında rapor edilmiştir (13)(14)(15). Ülkemizdeki sıklık diğer bölgelerde %12,5 ile 17 arasında bildirilirken Güneydoğu Anadolu bölgesinde sıklığın %25'lere kadar çıktığı tespit edilmiştir (2,4,16).…”

Prevalence of Enuresis among Secondary School Adolescents in Enugu, Nigeria

“…Nocturnal enuresis is three times more common than daytime wetting. [2,10,11] and secondary causes account for less than 25%. [12,13] Bedwetting was more frequent in boys than in girls.…”