Diagnosis and therapy for functional urinary incontinence in childhood

Abstract

Functional urinary incontinence, the absence of any neurologic or structural abnormality as a cause of urinary incontinence in children, is one of the most common clinical problems encountered in pediatric and urologic departments, and it can be socially and emotionally distressing for the affected children. The prevalence rates of functional urinary incontinence in school-aged children are not very high and differ between boys and girls. The underlying mechanisms of functional urinary incontinence are heterogenous and can be associated with the following dysfunctions of both the storage and voiding patterns of the bladder: overactive bladder, dysfunctional voiding, lazy bladder syndrome, HinmanAllen syndrome, giggle incontinence, and vaginal voiding. Treatment methods for urinary incontinence in children should be chosen according to these clinical conditions. Treatment modalities generally consist of the treatment of comorbid conditions such as urinary infection and constipation, behavior therapy to modify learned voiding patterns, and pharmacotherapy primarily with anticholinergics and α-adrenergic blockers. This review discusses the optimal treatment modalities, including treatment of the underlying voiding disorders, and diagnostic approaches related to functional urinary incontinence in children.