Bed-wetting is closely linked to a child's psychological well-being, according to a study made by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Children who wet the bed generally did worse at school and had trouble making friends, said Professor Yeung Chung-kwong of the Department of Surgery. He said the problem had long been ignored in Chinese society. 'The Chinese usually find it embarrassing to talk about enuresis. Some parents tend to blame the kids, but they are not aware that bed-wetting may be an important signal,' he said. The study, done by the Paediatric Surgery Division, involved more than 3,600 children aged four to 12, from nine kindergartens and 11 primary schools. It suggested that a child's psychological condition could be a significant factor causing primary nocturnal enuresis. Sixteen per cent of students who wet the beds also did poorly at school. Of children who do not wet the bed, just eight per cent do badly at school. Dr Kelly Lai Yee-ching of the Department of Psychiatry said bed-wetting children generally had low self-esteem and were under stress. 'They are also less ready to make friends because they fear they would be teased,' she said. The study found that fewer Hong Kong children aged four to seven wet their beds, compared to youngsters in western countries. A more in-depth study, involving 50 children aged seven to 12, will be done over the next two years.
