Hjälmås K
Department of Pediatrics, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Ostra, Göteborg, Sweden.
Eur Urol. 1998;33 Suppl 3:53-7.
Nocturnal enuresis in children is quite seldom due to psychological factors. Instead, it is caused by a hereditary delay in maturation of the somatic mechanisms (reduction of nocturnal urine production, relaxation of the bladder during sleeping hours, and a normal arousal to a full bladder) which prevent the child from wetting the bed. Doctors treating bedwetting children have often used an expectant attitude because nocturnal enuresis has been looked upon as self-limiting and innocent. According to recent research, this is not true. In children aged 7 years, more than 5% and in the adult population 0.5% report nocturnal enuresis. Thus, many enuretic children will remain bedwetters for life if left untreated. Furthermore, the child is ashamed and feels guilt because of his nocturnal enuresis which threatens to give a significant impairment of self-esteem at an age when an intact self-image is extremely important for an optimal development of the child's personality. Treatment should be given when the enuretic child wants to sleep dry.
儿童夜间遗尿很少是由心理因素引起的。相反，它是由躯体机制成熟的遗传性延迟导致的（夜间尿量减少、睡眠期间膀胱松弛以及对膀胱充盈的正常唤醒），这些机制可防止儿童尿床。治疗尿床儿童的医生常常采取观望态度，因为夜间遗尿一直被视为自限性且无害的。根据最近的研究，事实并非如此。在7岁儿童中，超过5%的儿童以及在成年人群中0.5%的人报告有夜间遗尿。因此，如果不治疗，许多遗尿儿童将终生尿床。此外，由于夜间遗尿，孩子会感到羞耻和内疚，这有可能在孩子人格最佳发展的年龄对其自尊心造成严重损害，而此时完整的自我形象极为重要。当遗尿儿童希望睡觉时不尿床时，就应该进行治疗。
