bedwetting

bedwetting Involuntary urination in bed after the usual age of toilet training. Also known as nighttime enuresis and nocturnal enuresis. It may be caused by incomplete development of bladder control, a sleep or arousal disorder, bladder or kidney disease, neurological problems, or psychological causes (such as fear of the dark that prevents the child from leaving the bed). About 20 percent of 5year-olds wet the bed at least once a month; surprisingly, bedwetting can persist into teenage. Treatment depends on the cause and may include education, behavior modification techniques, the use of alarms, bladder-retention training, and medication. See also enuresis.