A 2-year follow-up of bedwetters treated by dry-bed training and standard conditioning

Abstract

Sixty nocturnally-enuretic children treated by Dry-Bed Training (DBT) and 35 children treated by standard conditioning were followed-up over a 2-yr period. Results showed that after achieving the initial success criterion of 14 consecutive dry nights, 39% of the DBT group and 41% of the standard-conditioning group relapsed during the follow-up period. Renewed bedwetting was arrested in 14 out of 15 cases re-treated by DBT and in all 10 cases re-treated by standard conditioning. Children who relapsed following initial treatment were compared with those who remained dry in respect of the child's age and sex, bedwetting frequency prior to treatment, the number of bedwets (and consequent conditioning trials) during treatments, a history of primary or secondary enuresis and a history of diurnal micturitional difficulty. Children who had a history of day-time wetting accidents beyond the age of 4 were found to be more likely to suffer a relapse in bedwetting following either DBT or standard conditioning. None of the other variables examined was found to be significantly associated with proneness to relapse.