Repeated urination while sleeping, even after five years of age is called?

RRB Staff Nurse Delhi-2015

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Staff Nurse Delhi-2015

Explanation

Enuresis is the correct medical term for repeated, involuntary or intentional urination in bed or clothes.
A key diagnostic criterion for enuresis is that the child must have a chronological or developmental age of at least 5 years.
By age 5, most children have achieved nighttime bladder control, so persistent wetting beyond this age is considered a clinical condition.
The condition is further classified as nocturnal (nighttime), diurnal (daytime), or both.

Option B: A tic is a sudden, rapid, recurrent, non-rhythmic motor movement or vocalization (e.g., eye blinking, throat clearing). It is a neurological or behavioral condition unrelated to urination.
Option C: Stuttering is a speech-fluency disorder characterized by disruptions in the production of speech sounds. It has no relation to bladder control.
Option D: Encopresis is the repeated passage of feces into inappropriate places (e.g., clothing or floor). It is a disorder of bowel control, not bladder control.

Visual 1: Table: Comparison of Enuresis and Encopresis - A table comparing the key features (definition, substance, minimum age) of the two main childhood elimination disorders to help differentiate them.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Childhood Elimination Disorders as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a crucial role in assessing for underlying organic causes of enuresis, such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), diabetes, or structural abnormalities, before a functional diagnosis is made.
A primary nursing responsibility is to provide education and emotional support to the family, emphasizing that punishment is counterproductive and can lead to poor self-esteem and anxiety in the child.
What if? If the child in the scenario was 4 years old, the bedwetting would be considered a normal developmental variation rather than a clinical disorder, as nighttime bladder control is still developing at that age. No active treatment would be recommended, only reassurance.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key elements in the question stem: 'repeated urination,' 'while sleeping,' and 'after five years of age.'
Recognize that these elements describe the clinical condition commonly known as bedwetting.
Recall the specific medical terminology for childhood developmental and elimination disorders.
Evaluate the given options. 'Enuresis' is the term for involuntary urination. 'Encopresis' relates to feces. 'Tic' and 'Stuttering' are unrelated to elimination.
Confirm that the age criterion mentioned in the question (5 years) matches the diagnostic criteria for enuresis.
Select the option that precisely matches the clinical picture described.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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