What are the treatments for Urinary Incontinence in Children ?
Most UI fades away naturally as a child grows and develops and does not require treatment. When treatment is needed, options include bladder training and related strategies, moisture alarms, and medications.
                
Growth and Development
                
As children mature
                
- bladder capacity increases  - natural body alarms become activated  - an overactive bladder settles down  - production of ADH becomes normal  - response to the bodys signal that it is time to void improves
                
Bladder Training and Related Strategies
                
Bladder training consists of exercises to strengthen the bladder muscles to better control urination. Gradually lengthening the time between trips to the bathroom can also help by stretching the bladder so it can hold more urine. Additional techniques that may help control daytime UI include
                
- urinating on a scheduletimed voidingsuch as every 2 hours  - avoiding food or drinks with caffeine  - following suggestions for healthy urination, such as relaxing muscles and taking enough time to allow the bladder to empty completely
                
Waking children up to urinate can help decrease nighttime UI. Ensuring children drink enough fluids throughout the day so they do not drink a lot of fluids close to bedtime may also help. A health care provider can give guidance about how much a child needs to drink each day, as the amount depends on a childs age, physical activity, and other factors.
                
Moisture Alarms
                
At night, moisture alarms can wake children when they begin to urinate. These devices use a water-sensitive pad connected to an alarm that sounds when moisture is first detected. A small pad can clip to the pajamas, or a larger pad can be placed on the bed. For the alarm to be effective, children must awaken as soon as the alarm goes off, stop the urine stream, and go to the bathroom. Children using moisture alarms may need to have someone sleep in the same room to help wake them up.
                
Medications
                
Nighttime UI may be treated by increasing ADH levels. The hormone can be boosted by a synthetic version known as desmopressin (DDAVP), which is available in pill form, nasal spray, and nose drops. DDAVP is approved for use in children. Another medication, called imipramine (Tofranil), is also used to treat nighttime UI, though the way this medication prevents bedwetting is not known. Although both of these medications may help children achieve short-term success, relapse is common once the medication is withdrawn.
                
UI resulting from an overactive bladder may be treated with oxybutynin (Ditropan), a medication that helps calm the bladder muscle and control muscle spasms.