The Family and the Wet Bed The parents’ perspective and the child’s treatment

Sammanfattning: The focus of this thesis is nocturnal enuresis in the primary care setting. Three aspects have been central: 1) the parental perspective, 2) differences between children with enuresis of varying severity, and 3) to explore whether the universally recommended basic bladder advice have any therapeutic effect. Study I built on qualitative data from interviews with 13 parents of children with enuresis, focusing on family impact and coping strategies. A common consensus among the participants was that they felt frustrated about the perceived lack of information and help they received from the healthcare system. In study II anamnestic data and voiding chart parameters – reflecting renal and bladder function – were compared between 54 children with enuresis of varying frequency. No measurable differences were found. Study III was a randomised controlled study. Forty children with previously untreated enuresis were recruited and randomised to receive either first bladder advice for one month and then alarm therapy (n=20) or just the alarm therapy (n=20). The bladder advice did neither result in a significant reduction in the number of wet nights, nor improve the effect of subsequent alarm therapy.  Study IV was a cross-sectional questionnaire study of 52 parents, including comparison with normative data and with validated instruments evaluating intra-parental stress and satisfaction. The results showed no significant differences between the parents studied and normative data.  Study I and IV were the first to look at the parents, as opposed to children with enuresis. The results can be used by healthcare professionals when counselling families about strategies to use and attitudes to avoid. Study II aimed at filling a glaring blank in the field of knowledge: we do not know how children with infrequent enuresis differ from those who wet their beds often or every single night. The fact that no differences in bladder or kidney function was found indicates that they may differ in the way they sleep. Study III will probably have the greatest impact on how we should treat children with enuresis. The recommendation that all of them be given bladder training as a first-line therapy can no longer be supported.