Diagnostic evaluation of children with daytime incontinence.

PURPOSE

This article is one of the standardization documents of the International Children's Continence Society, and discusses how anatomical/iatrogenic and functional/urodynamic causes of daytime incontinence in children of all ages are to be diagnosed, how neurogenic bladder dysfunction or urinary tract infection is excluded as a cause of the wetting, and how further diagnostic evaluation of children with disturbances such as overactive bladder, voiding postponement and dysfunctional voiding is performed. The roles of history taking (including prenatal and perinatal issues and family history), physical examination, diagnostic bladder diaries, noninvasive urodynamic investigations and radiological imaging are delineated but therapy is not within the scope of this document.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This document was designed and written by an international panel of authors with a large experience in assessment of children with incontinence.

RESULTS

The best evidence was retrieved from the literature and assembled in a standardization document.

CONCLUSIONS

Assessment of children with daytime symptoms is discussed. A noninvasive approach in these children allows us to select patients who will need a more invasive assessment.