Incontinence

Few things are more distressing to a family than having a child who is continuously wet or who wets the bed. The child suffers the ridicule of his or her classmates, the odors are offensive, the laundry mounts and the parents agonize over their helplessness in bringing an end to the seemingly intractable problem.

Persistent nighttime bedwetting (nocturnal enuresis) is the most common issue of bladder control in childhood.

The family can only take comfort from the realization that the problem is common and that children generally outgrow it. In the meantime, however, the agony continues and there exists a small subgroup of these children who actually damage their urinary tracts in the process.

Our urologists and support staff are experienced at determining if there is a physical cause for the wetting and at using new medications and behavioral conditioning to control the problem.

The UCSF Children's Continence Clinic training program helps children learn healthy voiding habits, achieving greater continence, and preventing urinary infections and other problems associated with incontinence.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call:

For assistance finding a doctor, please contact:

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 8, 2007