Bed Wetting in School Children Essay

Bedwetting (also referred to as nocturnal enuresis) is the involuntary passing of urine during sleep after the age at which bladder control usually occurs. It can be an embarrassing, frustrating and distressing problem that affects millions of children. It is more common than most parents think. Many children are dry at night by the time they reach the age of 5 but others take longer to become dry. When children still wet the bed when they are 6 or older, parents usually start to become concerned that their child may have some kind of physical or emotional problem. Some decide not to stress about it and give it time; others will seek medical advice, take their child to counselling or use alternative therapies. Once children go to Primary School and become aware that other kids of their age are dry at night they become embarrassed about it. Some children avoid going to sleepovers and school camps because of the fear of other kids discovering their problem. Teenagers are usually even more distressed by the bedwetting and many worry the problem will never go away. It often has a significant impact on their self-esteem. I decided to choose Bowen Therapy for Bedwetting as the subject for my Research Project because I have always had a passion for working with children. As a mother of two daughters and having dealt with toilet training issues I have experienced how upsetting and frustrating bedwetting can be for a child and their family. As Bowen Therapy is a wonderful holistic technique to promote physical and emotional balance, it is an ideal way to help children gain control of this problem. This research task explores the different causes and methods of treatment of nocturnal enuresis. It also outlines the anatomy of the urinary system and the nerves and muscles involved in micturition to gain a better understanding of how Bowen Therapy addresses this condition. I evaluated the effectiveness of Bowen Therapy on nocturnal enuresis in combination with dietary modifications as recommended by Mr. Bowen. The therapeutic value of omega-3 fatty acids is also mentioned (which have been proven to be effective in treating nocturnal enuresis) and the benefits of Neuro-Developmental reflex integration exercises.