Often called overactive bladder or reflex incontinence, spastic bladder is a health condition marked by the inability to control the urge to urinate. As a common urination problem in children, overactive bladder poses potential problems for both you and your child, including embarrassment. Learn the facts about spastic bladder in children so you can respond to this condition with patience and sympathy.
The Facts
Your bladder is a balloon-shaped organ that collects urine before flushing it out of the body through the urethra. Infants and babies can't control their bladders, so they void without warning. As children mature, their brain and bladder develop the ability to communicate. When the bladder is full, it sends neurological signals to the brain, which gives the bladder the thumbs-up to empty, resulting in a voluntary bladder contraction. Spastic bladder occurs when the bladder muscles involuntarily contract, resulting in accidental release of urine, often before the bladder is even full.
Symptoms
Children with a spastic bladder need to urinate often. According to Dr. Christopher Smith, Baylor College of Medicine assistant urology professor and contributing author of "The Overactive Bladder," an overwhelming sense of urgency is the most important symptom that distinguishes this disorder from similar health conditions. Your child may demonstrate panic or concern over being away from a bathroom for an extended period of time. Sometimes, your child might even start dancing or hopping in an effort to contain the urine in her bladder--often unsuccessfully. Frequent nocturnal bedwetting and daytime leaking or urination accidents are also quite common in children suffering from a spastic bladder.
Causes
Spastic bladder-induced urinary incontinence generally arises in children under the age of 10 years, often as a result of bladder immaturity. According to Angelique C. Hinds, pediatric urology nurse practitioner at University of California San Francisco Children's Hospital and contributing author of "Handbook of Pediatric Urology," this condition typically develops in families and may become chronic. Other factors that may contribute to or worsen spastic bladder symptoms include caffeine consumption, stress or anxiety, and structural problems, such as a malformed bladder.
Treatment
In many cases, children outgrow the problem causing their specific case of overactive bladder. In the event that your child fails to grow out of spastic bladder by the age of 5 or 6 years, consider talking to your child's doctor about possible treatment, which could include bladder training and medication. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, bladder training involves regular exercises to strengthen the muscles involved in controlling and releasing urine.
Warning
Dr. Smith notes that children with overactive bladders may be more likely to develop urinary tract infections. If your child cries out during urination or indicates in any other way that urination is painful, then she may have a urinary tract infection, a potentially serious health condition that could lead to a kidney infection if left untreated. Other signs that could point to a urinary tract infection include cloudy, blood-tinged or foul-smelling urine, more frequent urination, a fever and irritability. See your health care provider immediately for prompt diagnosis and treatment.
References
- "Handbook of Pediatric Urology"; Angelique C. Hinds et al; 2005
- "The Overactive Bladder"; Dr. Christopher Smith et al; 2007
- NKUDIC: Urinary Incontinence in Children
