What is (are) Urinary Incontinence in Children ?
Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control, which results in the accidental loss of urine. A child with UI may not stay dry during the day or night. Some UI is caused by a health problem such as
                
- a urinary tract infection (UTI)  - diabetes, a condition where blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high  - kidney problems  - nerve problems  - constipation, a condition in which a child has fewer than two bowel movements a week and stools can be hard, dry, small, and difficult to pass  - obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition in which breathing is interrupted during sleep, often because of inflamed or enlarged tonsils  - a structural problem in the urinary tract
                
Most of the time, the exact cause of UI is not known, but it is often the result of more than one factor.
                
Although UI affects many children, it usually disappears naturally over time. UI after age 3the age when most children achieve daytime drynessmay cause great distress and embarrassment. Many children experience occasional UI, and treatment is available for most children who have a hard time controlling their bladder. Thus, caregivers of children who wet the bed or have accidents during the day should approach this problem with understanding and patience.
                
The age at which children achieve dryness varies. Wetting in younger children is common and not considered UI, so daytime UI is not usually diagnosed until age 5 or 6, and nighttime UI is not usually diagnosed until age 7.
                
Enuresis   Urinary incontinence is also called enuresis. Types of enuresis include the following:   - Primary enuresis is wetting in a child who has never been consistently dry.   - Secondary enuresis is wetting that begins after at least 6 months of dryness.   - Nocturnal enuresis is wetting that usually occurs during sleep, also called nighttime UI.   - Diurnal enuresis is wetting when awake, also called daytime UI.