Urology

Urology is the study of the urinary and reproductive organs, and the treatment of associated problems and diseases. One of our focus areas in urology is nocturnal enuresis (NE), more commonly known as bedwetting.

A second focus is prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers amongst men. This disease may not show any symptoms in the early stages and is often discovered during a routine check-up. The treatment options vary depending on the stage of the cancer at the time of diagnosis. The growth of prostate cancer is dependent on testosterone; therefore, many treatments are aimed at reducing the level of testosterone in the body.

If you are a patient or carer looking for more information, please see our page:

Bedwetting
Prostate cancer

Facts about bedwetting

Bedwetting has been a common problem in children and, to some extent, adults throughout history. Bedwetting is, in most cases, not caused by a psychological or behavioural problem - it is a recognised disorder that according to the DSM-5, is diagnosed as:

• bedwetting where you shouldn’t, in children who are at least 5 years old;
• who urinate into bed or into clothes;
• occurs at least twice a week for three months in a row, or causes significant distress or impairment in functioning; and
• this behaviour must not be attributable to the effects of a substance, or another medical condition.¹

Bedwetting occurs in about 5-10% of 7 year olds and approximately 3% of teenagers, while 0.5 to 1% of adults still wet their beds.²

Causes of bedwetting

There are many reasons why a child might wet the bed. Causes include:

• the kidneys produce more urine than the bladder can hold
• most bedwetters have well functioning bladders and normal sleeping patterns, but they do not wake up when their bladder is full

Bedwetting may also be caused by an underlying health condition such as diabetes or constipation.

Impact of bedwetting on the child and on the family

Children with bedwetting often feel angry, moody, ashamed and bewildered. They find it embarrassing and uncomfortable and they think they are the only children who do it.

This isolation makes them feel inhibited and they avoid taking part in any activities that would have them stay away from home overnight, such as school trips and sleep-overs at friends' homes, for fear of being discovered.

Parents also suffer and alternate between concern for their child and exhaustion from having their sleep interrupted and having to clean bedclothes frequently.

Please see our page Advice for Parents for more information.

Bibliographic Reference

1. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, U.S. National Library of Medicine
2. Nevéus T, Fonseca E et al. Management and treatment of nocturnal enuresis- and updated standardization document from the International Children’s Continence Society. Journal of Pediatric Urology, 2020; 16,10-19

The first thing to understand is that bedwetting is nobody's fault, and it has nothing to do with the way a child has been ‘toilet trained’.

If you are concerned about bedwetting, please consult your family doctor or primary healthcare provider. A doctor can rule out the rare cases when the condition may be caused by an underlying illness such as diabetes, an infection, or abnormalities in the structure of the urinary system, and initiate appropriate treatment and counselling.

Below are some suggestions that may help children with bedwetting:

• encourage the child to drink more during the day - some children drink little while at school and then make up for it by drinking in the evening

• avoid foods with caffeine (such as chocolate, tea, coffee and cola drinks) in the evening as caffeine leads to increased urine production

• don't drink within two to three hours of bedtime

• encourage the habit of urinating before going to bed
• make it easy for the child to reach the toilet from the bedroom and encourage the child to return to their own bed

If this does not solve the problem, talk to your healthcare provider if:

• your child has always wet the bed, or if they have recently started
• they produce large wet patches
• either parent has also experienced bedwetting
• you think your child’s schoolwork or behaviour have suffered

Although your child may be stressed by their bedwetting many children respond positively to treatment. Children require a great deal of patience and above all, they should not be criticized, blamed or punished.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian men; it is estimated that about 1 in 9 men will develop the disease sometime during their lifetime¹, and most of the time, it happens in men after age 50.¹

While prostate cancer can grow quickly and spread, more often it grows slowly and may remain within the prostate gland for years (localized cancer). In its early stages, the disease has no symptoms. However, as the cancer develops, it can invade and damage the surrounding tissues or spread to other areas of the body (metastasis).

Various tests may be used to screen for prostate cancer including the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which measures the level of this protein in the blood. An elevated PSA level can indicate the presence of prostate cancer. A PSA test is often used in combination with a digital rectal examination (DRE).

If prostate cancer is diagnosed, the 'stage' of the disease tells the doctor how far the cancer has spread and helps him/her decide the best treatment option.

Tumours are usually staged using the TNM system, which considers:

In the early years of the disease, the growth of prostate cancer is dependent on testosterone. The goal of treatments is to reduce the level of testosterone circulating in the body. A decrease in testosterone levels can lead to the death of cancer cells and postpone the progression of the disease.

REFERENCES:

1. Canadian Cancer Society. Prostate Cancer Statistics. Prostate cancer statistics | Canadian Cancer Society. Accessed on 1 June 2026.

BEDWETTING:

Bed-wetting (nocturnal enuresis) in children
SickKids Hospital, About Kids Health

Bedwetting | Caring for kids
Caring for Kids is an information site for parents about their child’s health and well-being. It is developed by the Canadian Paediatric Society

Canadian Paediatric Society
A home for paediatricians. A voice for children and youth.

Canadian Urological Association
The CUA is the voice of urology in Canada, with content provided for information and education purposes, for healthcare professionals and patients

International Continence Society (ICS)
Focused on furthering education, research, clinical practice and removing the stigma of incontinence

“Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Enuresis and Encopresis in Children - Canadian Psychological Association

Please note that Ferring cannot accept liability for the content on the above sites, since they are not managed or controlled by Ferring.

PROSTATE CANCER:

Canadian Cancer Society
CCS provides nationwide support for people with cancer, their loved ones, and caregivers

Life on ADT
Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) Educational Program. Their goal is to help prostate cancer patients improve their quality of life as well as maintain strong intimate relationships while on ADT.

National Cancer Institute (NCI) 
Coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports research, training, & information dissemination

PCPEP
Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP). PC-PEP is a 6-month home-based comprehensive health-promotion program for men with a diagnosis of Prostate Cancer.

PROCURE
PROCURE is the only Canadian charitable organization exclusively dedicated to the fight against prostate cancer through research, outreach, education and support for men affected by this disease and their families

Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada
PCFC’s vision is to provide leadership and resources for prostate cancer support, education and research in Canada

ZERO, The Project to End Prostate Cancer
Committed to not only reducing prostate cancer or alleviate the pain from the disease but to end it

Please note that Ferring cannot accept liability for the content on the above sites, since they are not managed or controlled by Ferring.