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A Unique Child Health: A doctor's diary ... Bedwetting

'Doctor, my son is still wetting the bed. It's so distressing for him and I don't know what to do.'

Bedwetting, known medically as nocturnal enuresis, may be distressing for both the child and their family, and the consequences of it may be far-reaching.

Boys tend to be affected more than girls. While it is less common with age, over 20 per cent of four-and-a-half-year-olds wet the bed for less than two nights per week, and around 8 per cent of children this age wet the bed more frequently.

Some children will also pass urine involuntarily during the day as well as in the night. In many cases, parents expect their child to be dry at night by age three, although this is often unrealistic and may not reflect any disease process.

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