Daytime voiding and drinking has no effect on bedwetting

Traditionally, when a parent brought up bedwetting to their health care provider, they were given bladder training advice as first line therapy. This advice focused on regular voiding, sound voiding posture and sufficient fluid intake during the day. It was recommended that the family try this before any other treatment was initiated.

A new study looked at whether this advice influenced the number of wet nights and/or improved the success of subsequent bedwetting alarm therapy.

Forty children with bedwetting were randomized into two groups: one group to receive bladder training advice for one month, then alarm therapy and the other group just to start bedwetting alarm therapy immediately.

Results

Basic bladder advice, by itself, did not reduce the number of wet nights and the end result of alarm therapy did not differ in those that had waited a month to start, while practicing the bladder advice.

Conclusions

Based on the results of this small study, the recommendation that all children with bedwetting practice bladder training can no longer be supported. There is no reason to wait to begin bedwetting alarm treatment. This can be offered as first line therapy to children with bedwetting.

Although the healthy patterns of fluid intake and regular urination during the day can be encouraged in any child, according to the results of this study, parents should not be given false hope that just doing this will resolve bedwetting.