Clinical Study on Childhood Enuresis

Abstract

Enuresis is primarily a childhood problem that has concerned parents and physicians since biblical times. To our knowledge, the earliest rec<) rded treatment approach using a combination of juniper, cyprus and beer appeared in 1550 B.C. (Glicklich, 1951). Various factors considered to be of etiological importance for enuresis have been described in the literature. Proposed etiologies are 1) genetic factors(Hallgren, 1960: Bakwin, 1961), 2) disorders of genito-urinary tract (Mahony et aI, 1971; Jones €I aI, 1972) , 3) disorders arising from disturbances of early life, such as bladder training(Brazelton, 1962) , 4) disorders due to stressful life events in early childhood (Heisel et aI, 1973) , 5) disorders of sleep or central nervous maturity (Camrbell et aI, 1966; Ritvo et al 1969; Petersen et ai, 1970) , 6) psychological or psychosocial factors (Hallgren, 1956; Werry and Cohrssen, 1960; Archenbach and Lewis , 1971). According to these etiological hypotheses, the site of lesion in enuresis has been placed in the psyche, brain stem, genito-urinary system itself, or the sociofamilial environment.