The natural history of urinary symptoms during adolescence.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and natural history of urinary symptoms and incontinence among healthy adolescent schoolchildren.

Subjects And Methods: A prospective longitudinal study using a confidential questionnaire administered to an original cohort of 1176 local schoolchildren at 11-12 years and again at 15-16 years old.

Results: There was a decrease in the prevalence of urinary symptoms with age. Daywetting was reported by 12.5% of children aged 11-12 years and 3.0% of children aged 15-16 years. Nocturnal enuresis was reported by 4.7% of children at 11-12 years and 1.1% at 15-16 years. Some of the children reporting daywetting and nocturnal enuresis at 15-16 years old had not reported these symptoms at 11-12 years old.

Conclusion: Urinary symptoms become less prevalent with age, but are reported by a significant number of healthy schoolchildren.