What is nocturnal enuresis?

Nocturnal enuresis is the medical term for bedwetting. The term enuresis is used to describe children who do not have voluntary control over their bladder in the absence of any anatomical abnormality or health condition. Enuresis is not used to describe children who have an underlying condition affecting their urinary tract – the term urinary incontinence is used.

Incidence & Prevalence

The age when dryness at night is achieved is very variable and difficult to measure – this is because the definition of bedwetting is variable. For example enuresis might be defined, as wetting the bed at least twice a week in some studies and numbers will be small. In others the definition of enuresis may be that the child is not reliably dry and children who occasionally wet the bed will be included in the enuresis group - numbers will be higher. The DSM IV defines enuresis as bed wetting at least twice a week. One large study using this definition of enuresis showed the prevalence of bedwetting at 7 years old was 2.6%. 3.3% of boys had enuresis and 2.3% of girls had enuresis. 15.5% of the group were not reliably dry at night and still wet the bed at night occasionally. The condition is more common in boys. The prevalence of nocturnal enuresis decreases with age but some children do not achieve night-time continence by adulthood. Around 0.5% of adults aged 18-64 years have nocturnal enuresis.

The following rates of enuresis by age are commonly quoted:

Rates of nocturnal enuresis by age