Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Bedwetting classification
Introduction
Editor(s)-in-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S.,M.D. [1] Phone:617-632-7753; Steven C. Campbell, M.D., Ph.D., [2] Phone:216-444-5595 Professor of Surgery, Residency Program Director, Section of Urologic Oncology, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic.
Classification
Classification
The condition is divided into two types: Primary Nocturnal Enuresis (PNE) and Secondary Nocturnal Enuresis.
Primary Enuresis
Primary enuresis occurs when a child is beyond the age at which bladder control would normally be anticipated and:
- Continues to average at least two wet nights a week with no long periods of dryness, or
- Would not sleep dry without being taken to the toilet by another person
Some medical definitions list Primary Nocturnal Enuresis (PNE) as a clinical condition at between 4-5 years old. This type of classification is frequently used by insurance companies. It defines PNE as “Persistent bedwetting in the absence of any urologic, medical or neurological anomaly in a child beyond the age when over 75% of children are normally dry.”[3]
Secondary Enuresis
Secondary enuresis occurs after a patient goes through an extended period of dryness at night (approx. 6 months or more) and then reverts to night-time wetting. Secondary enuresis can be caused by emotional stress or a medical condition, such as a bladder infection. [4]