Treatment for childhood urinary incontinence, also called enuresis, which is the involuntary and repeated loss of urine after 5 years of age, during the day or during the night, can be done with:
- Urinary alarms, which are devices that have a sensor that is placed on the child's panties or underwear and that ring when he starts to pee, waking him up and making him get in the habit of getting up to urinate, as shown in the images. PipiStop is an example of a brand of these alarms and the price varies between 80 and 240 reais; Physiotherapy for childhood urinary incontinence through exercises that strengthen the bladder muscles, scheduling the times when the child should urinate and sacral neurostimulation, which is a stimulating technique for bladder sphincter control; Anticholinergic remedies, such as Desmopressin, Oxybutynin and Imipramine, which soothe the bladder and reduce urine production.
The pediatrician is able to diagnose childhood urinary incontinence, but the pediatric urologist is the specialist to indicate the best treatment, being indicated for the most severe cases.
Tips to speed up treatment
There are some tips for treating childhood urinary incontinence or infant enuresis, such as:
- Always have a change of underwear in the school backpack; Avoid giving the child fluids before he goes to sleep; Encourage the child to urinate before he goes to sleep; Put a cover or guard on the bedding; Put a change of bedding on child's room; absorbent pads or underpants that can neutralize it. Waking the child up during the night to urinate, with the aim of creating a routine, so the child empties the bladder at least 1 time during the night; ask the child to hold pee for 10 seconds when urinating; give the child a reward whenever they improve.
It is very important for parents to be patient, remain calm during this phase and never blame the child for this problem.
