Nocturnal Enuresis

3 medicines

Nocturnal enuresis, or bedwetting, is the involuntary release of urine during sleep, most common in children, and is managed with behavioural steps and, when needed, medicines such as desmopressin.

DDAVP

Desmopressin

200mcg

DDAVP is a hormones medication containing Desmopressin, available as 200mcg tablets.

from $1.95 / tablet View

Nocdurna

Desmopressin

0.2mg

Nocdurna is a bladder medication containing Desmopressin, available as 0.2mg tablets.

from $4.16 / tablet View

Tofranil

Imipramine

25/50/75mg

Tofranil is a antidepressants medication containing Imipramine, available as 25/50/75mg tablets.

from $0.43 / tablet View

Key facts

  • Nocturnal enuresis, commonly called bedwetting, is the involuntary release of urine during sleep and one of the most common childhood conditions.
  • It affects roughly one in five children aged five, and most outgrow it naturally; a smaller number carry it into adolescence or adulthood.
  • Many children with enuresis produce too much urine at night because they do not make enough vasopressin, the hormone that concentrates urine while sleeping.
  • Behavioural measures come first; medicines such as desmopressin reduce overnight urine production directly when needed.

Why it happens

The bladder, the brain's overnight signals, and antidiuretic hormone production all play a part. Many children with nocturnal enuresis produce too much urine at night because they do not make enough vasopressin, the hormone that tells the kidneys to concentrate urine while sleeping. A deep sleep pattern that muffles the bladder's fullness signal can compound this. Family history is a strong predictor: if both parents wet the bed as children, the likelihood rises considerably. Stress, constipation, and urinary tract infections are common triggers for regression in children who had been dry.

Managing bedwetting

Behavioural measures, lifting before parents' bedtime, fluid restriction in the evening, and bladder training, are the first step for children. When these are not enough, medication is often considered. Desmopressin, a synthetic form of vasopressin from the hormones class, reduces overnight urine production directly and is widely used. For cases where an underlying mood or attention issue contributes, imipramine, an antidepressant with bladder-relaxing properties, may be used, typically in older children under close monitoring.

When to see a doctor

If bedwetting begins suddenly in a previously dry child or an adult, a doctor review is worthwhile to rule out diabetes, a urinary tract problem, or a neurological cause.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.