title: Enuresis: a contrast of attitudes of parents and physicians.
abstract: Questionnaires were used to survey 1,435 parents and 446 physicians in order to determine and compare attitudes and beliefs about enuresis. Although both groups thought that bed-wetting is a maturational problem, the parent group thought emotional causes were important and were less likely to accept small bladder size as an etiology. Parents thought that children should be dry at a much younger age than did the physicians (2.75 vs 5.13 years, respectively). Only 63% of parents thought that medical intervention is a good way to deal with a child's bed-wetting, yet 87% of the physicians suggested medical evaluation. A comparison of the various methods used to stop bed-wetting indicated that parents use waking the child, reassurance and talking with the child, restricting fluids, and punishment significantly more often than physicians. Although many physicians prescribe medication, only 6.6% of the parents thought that medicines are a "very good way" to treat enuresis. When developing a treatment plan for a child with enuresis, the physician should recognize the wide differences between parental and physician attitudes toward this common problem of childhood.
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004775:Enuresis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010372:Pediatrics; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011678:Punishment; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012201:Reward; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors