Updated Guideline Developed for Diagnosis, Management of Childhood Nocturnal Enuresis

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — An updated, evidence-based guideline has been developed for the diagnosis and management of childhood nocturnal enuresis (NE); the guideline was published online July 10 in the World Journal of Pediatrics.

Qian Shen, from the Children”s Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, and colleagues used the Delphi method to develop consensus relating to NE. Based on a synthesis of the current evidence, a writing group of nine experts drafted statements, which were then subjected to iterative voting by 42 multidisciplinary panelists to achieve consensus.

Eighteen key recommendations were provided. The diagnostic criteria were updated to include children aged 5 years and older with at least one involuntary void per month for three months. Classification into monosymptomatic NE or nonmonosymptomatic (NM) NE was emphasized based on daytime lower urinary tract symptoms. The recommendations relate to comprehensive evaluation, basic management, and first-line treatment (desmopressin for nocturnal polyuria and alarm therapy for reduced bladder capacity). The authors recommend that a voiding diary should be kept, recording at least two days of daytime records and seven consecutive nights; the diary data can be used to determine the subtype of enuresis and can guide treatment. The consensus also discusses strategies for treatment-resistant cases, management of NMNE, and the role of primary care and traditional Chinese medicine.

“By synthesizing evidence and expert experience, this consensus provides 18 specific recommendations to standardize care, promote individualized treatment, and improve outcomes for children with NE,” the authors write.

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