Enuresis of Elementary School Children in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province: Results according to the Treatment Experiences

Yang, Hyeon Seok; Kim, Hyeong Gon; Park, Won Hee

Abstract

PURPOSE: To acquire the information necessary to educate the public about enuresis, and provide direction for its treatment, we tried to evaluate the treatment experiences and results, according to treatment methods used in elementary school children experiencing bed-wetting.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 10,000 questionnaires were distributed to the parents of elementary school children living in the Seoul and Gyeonggi provinces, of which 7,813 were collected, ad 6,026 were fit for evaluation.
RESULTS
There were 1,307 (21.7%) bed-wetters, but only 345 (26.4%) of these gave affirmative answers to having a specialized form of treatment. Of the 345, 232 (67.2%) took herbal medicine, while 113 (24.6%) received medical treatment, with 174 (50.4%) taking either herbal medicine or medical treatment; and 171 (49.6%) having tried both herbal medicine and medical treatment. Using herbal medicine, 29 (28.4%) were cured and 18 (17.6%) showed marked improvements. Using medical treatment, 19 (26.4%) were cured and 25 (34.7%) showed marked improvements. Using a combination of the treatments, 44 (25.7%) were cured and 53 (31.0%) showed marked improvements. As for the treatment recommendation, of the 345 who received at least one treatment modality, 64 (18.6%) were recommended herbal medicine, and 135 (39.1%) a medical treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
The herb medicine was the preferred treatment method. However, the medical treatment was superior in relation to its treatment results and recommendations. Therefore, the active promotion for the education and treatment of this disorder is required in order to minimize the negative psychological impact on bed-wetting children.