Daytime urinary frequency in children.

Patients Over four years we saw 17 patients with this condition compared with 253 patients with functional nocturnal and diurnal enuresis seen during the same period. Most (11) were boys, and their ages ranged from 210 to 7 2 years (mean 4-2 years). All had been fully toilet trained and had had a normal pattern of micturition but had subsequently developed extreme, unremitting, daytime frequency at intervals varying from five to 20 minutes. There was no polydypsia, and voided volumes were small. Observation of these children in the outpatient department and, in one case, on the ward, indicated that parents were not exaggerating the history. Equally striking was that nocturia was either wholly absent (six cases), occurred only for the first few days (four cases), or took place at intervals (once or twice a night) quite disproportionate to the daytime frequency (seven cases). Two children complained of dysuria for the first few days. None became incontinent by day, but five developed secondary nocturnal enuresis. Bowel habit remained normal. In four cases the disorder followed an upper respiratory tract infection, while in the remainder there were no evident precipitating factors. These children showed no particular similarities of personality and came from varied social backgrounds. Physical examination (including thorough neurological examination) yielded unremarkable results in all cases, urine specimens were free of bacteria, cells, and protein and had a normal pH, and ultrasound examination showed normal upper renal tracts and bladders without thickening of the wall or residual urine. Nine children had received antibiotic treatment without benefit. Spontaneous resolution of symptoms occurred over three to 12 weeks.