Reply from amann, Age 28 - 7/27/01 - IP#: 195.92.67.66Is there a cure? Though there is no single "cure" for enuresis, the good news is that - given time - the condition will usually clear up on its own. However, there are strategies which may help resolve the problem sooner rather than later, and with fewer negative consequences - though in any case parents have to exercise patience and support. Treatment strategies include motivational approaches such as a reward system approach, in which the child receives positive reinforcement (such as praise or extra privileges) in reward for dry nights; behaviour modification approaches such as the enuresis alarm system, which gradually conditions the child to anticipate the need to urinate before actually wetting the bed; or medication therapy, which can help control wetting in extreme or exceptional cases. In cases where enuresis has been linked to constipation, the problem of enuresis may be cleared up by simply treating the constipation. Practical suggestions often given to parents include bedtime fluid restriction, having the child urinate in the toilet before going to sleep, waking the child in order to urinate prior to the parents going to bed, and bladder exercises. The various treatment strategies may be used alone, one after another, or in combination, depending on the type of enuresis diagnosed, and on each child's situation. Treatment strategies should be monitored and followed up by a health care professional. |