Abstract
Overactive bladder in children is a prevalent disorder with a significant impact on the quality of life of those that it affects. It may present with a variety of different symptoms ranging from frequency and urgency to daytime urinary incontinence or nocturnal enuresis. In instances of overactive bladder in children without anatomic or neurological abnormalities, the root cause has been linked to dysfunctional elimination syndrome. A perfect therapy remains elusive for this disorder, and many recalcitrant cases remain. In the following, we will seek to address the causes of pediatric overactive bladder, how it can be prevented, and some novel theories on how it can be most efficaciously treated.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance
Milanovic D, Sremcevic D, Perovic S, Scepanovic D, Krstic Z. [Stenosis of the external urethral opening as one of the causes of recurrent urinary infections in girls—surgical treatment]. Acta Chir Iugosl. 1989;36:229–37.
Palmer LS. Biofeedback in the management of urinary continence in children. Curr Urol Rep. 2010;11:122–7.
Hinman Jr F. Nonneurogenic neurogenic bladder (the Hinman syndrome)—15 years later. J Urol. 1986;136:769–77.
Sillen U. Bladder dysfunction and vesicoureteral reflux. Adv Urol. 2008;2008:815472.
Yeung CK. The normal infant bladder. Scand J Urol Nephrol Suppl. 1995;173:19–23.
Zerin JM, Chen E, Ritchey ML, Bloom DA. Bladder capacity as measured at voiding cystourethrography in children: relationship to toilet training and frequency of micturition. Radiology. 1993;187:803–6.
Richardson I, Palmer LS. Clinical and urodynamic spectrum of bladder function in cerebral palsy. J Urol. 2009;182:1945–8.
Hodges SJ, Patel B, McLorie G, Atala A. Posterior urethral valves. ScientificWorldJournal. 2009;9:1119–26.
Chung DE, Sandhu JS. Overactive bladder and outlet obstruction in men. Curr Urol Rep. 2011;12:77–85.
Madersbacher H. Neurogenic bladder dysfunction in patients with myelomeningocele. Curr Opin Urol. 2002;12:469–72.
Franco I. New ideas in the cause of bladder dysfunction in children. Curr Opin Urol. 2011;21:334–8.
Koff SA. Relationship between dysfunctional voiding and reflux. J Urol. 1992;148:1703–5.
Shopfner CE. Urinary tract pathology associated with constipation. Radiology. 1968;90:865–77. Although the annotated references are not modern publications, they demand review by all physicians involved with the care of the overactive bladder, as many of the findings described in these seminal works have been misunderstood or ignored by modern physicians at the peril of our patients.
O’Regan S, Schick E, Hamburger B, Yazbeck S. Constipation associated with vesicoureteral reflux. Urology. 1986;28:394–6.
O’Regan S, Yazbeck S. Constipation: a cause of enuresis, urinary tract infection and vesico-ureteral reflux in children. Med Hypotheses. 1985;17:409–13.
O’Regan S, Yazbeck S, Hamberger B, Schick E. Constipation a commonly unrecognized cause of enuresis. Am J Dis Child. 1986;140:260–1.
O’Regan S, Yazbeck S, Schick E. Constipation, bladder instability, urinary tract infection syndrome. Clin Nephrol. 1985;23:152–4. Although the annotated references are not modern publications, they demand review by all physicians involved with the care of the overactive bladder, as many of the findings described in these seminal works have been misunderstood or ignored by modern physicians at the peril of our patients.
Robson WL. Current management of nocturnal enuresis. Curr Opin Urol. 2008;18:425–30.
Loening-Baucke V. Urinary incontinence and urinary tract infection and their resolution with treatment of chronic constipation of childhood. Pediatrics. 1997;100:228–32.
Hinman F. Urinary tract damage in children who wet. Pediatrics. 1974;54:143–50.
Breda G, Bianchi GP, Bonomi U, Piacentini I, Farello G. Faecal stasis and bacteriuria: experimental research in rats. Urol Res. 1975;2:155–7.
Soave F. Megacolon: long-term results of surgical treatment. Prog Pediatr Surg. 1977;10:141–9.
Bailey JA, Powers JJ, Waylonis GW. A clinical evaluation of electromyography of the anal sphincter. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1970;51:403–8.
Peeters B, Benninga MA, Hennekam RC. Childhood constipation; an overview of genetic studies and associated syndromes. Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2011;25:73–88.
Barone JG, Jasutkar N, Schneider D. Later toilet training is associated with urge incontinence in children. J Pediatr Urol. 2009;5:458–61.
Aspirot A, Fernandez S, Di Lorenzo C, Skaggs B, Mousa H. Antegrade enemas for defecation disorders: do they improve the colonic motility? J Pediatr Surg. 2009;44:1575–80.
He W, Chen M, Zu X, Li Y, Ning K, Qi L. Chronic prostatitis presenting with dysfunctional voiding and effects of pelvic floor biofeedback treatment. BJU Int. 2010;105:975–7.
Malone PS. Dysfunctional voiding. J Pediatr Urol. 2009;5:2.
Lakshminarayanan B, Kufeji D, Clayden G. A new ultrasound scoring system for assessing the severity of constipation in children. Pediatr Surg Int. 2008;24:1379–84.
Ellsworth P, Caldamone A. Pediatric voiding dysfunction: current evaluation and management. Urol Nurs. 2008;28:249–57. 283; quiz 258.
Hodges SJ. Overactive bladder in children. Curr Bladder Dysfunct Rep. 2012;7:27–32.
Compliance with Ethics Guidelines
ᅟ
Conflict of Interest
Steve J. Hodges declares no conflict of interest.
Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent
This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hodges, S.J. Update on Overactive Bladder in Children—Current Bladder Dysfunction Reports 2012, 7:27–32. Curr Bladder Dysfunct Rep 9, 205–208 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11884-014-0254-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11884-014-0254-7