Psychiatric disorders in children with enuresis at 6 and 11 years old in a birth cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Enuresis may have a negative impact on the self-image in childhood and adolescence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between enuresis and psychiatric disorders at 6 and 11 years of age.

METHOD: 3,356 children of a birth cohort were evaluated. A standard questionnaire on urinary habits and mental health (Development and Well-Being Assessment [DAWBA]), was used. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders pursuant to the existence of enuresis and its subtypes (monosymptomatic and non-monosymptomatic), stratified by sex, was described. A logistic regression was used for adjusted analysis.

RESULTS: The prevalence of enuresis at age 6 years was of 10.2% (9% non-monosymptomatic) and, at 11 years old, of 5.4% (4.5% non-monosymptomatic). At age 6 years, boys with non-monosymptomatic enuresis showed more hyperactivity disorders than those without enuresis (6.2% vs. 2.7%, p=0.017). At 11 years old, after adjustment, among the boys with non-monosymptomatic enuresis, the prevalence of any psychiatric disorder, hyperactivity disorders, and oppositional disorders was, respectively, 3.2, 3.4, and 2.6 times higher than in boys without enuresis; and, among the girls with non-monosymptomatic enuresis, the prevalence of any psychiatric disorder and oppositional disorders was, respectively, 4 and 5.5 times higher than among girls without enuresis.

CONCLUSION: There is a strong association between non-monosymptomatic enuresis and psychiatric disorders at 6 and 11 years old.