View report page

130
Enuresis.
"This is unfortunately a common condition, the
causes of which are legion. In many cases it is
extremely difficult to bring about any improvement, and
this is found to be so chiefly where home conditions
are unsatisfactory, where there is overcrowding, friction
or unhappiness.
"30 cases were investigated during the year. Most
of these children attended regularly, but several come
to the clinic only at long intervals. Treatment often
has to be prolonged over many months, and this some
mothers find too much trouble; many mothers also take
it for granted that a child will grow out of all its
troubles at the age of seven.
"The forms of treatment are numerous, and each
claims its successes (we have found chronic bed-wetters
to become permanently dry immediately following
removal of tonsils and adenoids). Despite this, there
are some cases which refuse to respond to any treatment
whether advised by the clinic or by London children's
hospitals. Some of such cases improve at once when
taken on holiday. Convalescent homes will not accept
enuretic children, so that those children whose home
circumstances are such that a change of environment is
impossible present the most difficult problems.
"A large proportion of enuretics in which no local
cause can be found, i.e., threadworms, phimosis, etc.,
are classified as neuropathic. The bed-wetting here is a
manifestation of the child's general nervous instability.
Jealousy of a new baby in the household, lack of
harmony in the family and other similar factors are
sufficient to cause loss of control and the child becomes
one of the most difficult enuretics.
"A common association of conditions is that of
enuresis or threadworm infection, and when the latter is
eradicated the child frequently becomes dry. As the
child grows older there is a tendency for the enuresis
to clear up spontaneously. Of the 30 cases under notice,
about half have become dry or shown marked improvement.
Of the others, some have not continued with the
treatment advised, and some, despite treatment, have
not benefited."