Bedwetting and childhood arthritis?

Avinten

Hi everyone,

I just wondered whether any of the parents on here could tell me whether their children had suffered bedwetting along with arthritis diagnosis? I’m currently trying to persuade my GP to refer my son to a rheumatologist as I think he may have a mild form of arthritis. (Joint pain in ankles and wrist, stiffness particularly in morning, swelling and a limp, he also has been having some eye problems which I believe can be related to arthritis too?)

Anyway, he is 10 and wets the bed every night. I know that arthritis can sometimes effect the urinary tract and was wondering if this was a common thing in kids with arthritis or not?

Thank you,

Alice

[Deleted User]

Hello Alice and welcome to the forums from the moderation team. If you have any problems at all using the boards please send us a personal message.

I am very sorry to hear that you son is suffering joint pain along with other symptoms such as a limp and eye issues too. I haven’t heard anyone refer to nocturnal enuresis as a symptom of Arthritis in children. I can totally understand a reluctance to move at night when in pain and absolutely that you would want him referred to a Consultant as soon as possible.

I attach Arthritis Research’s information about Childhood Arthritis for you to look at:

https://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/system/search-results.aspx?keywords=arthritis+in+childhood

This is Arthritis Care’s information which includes useful information about medical appointments:

https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/living-with-arthritis/my-child-has-arthritis

We have a great community here, who have lots of experience of arthritis, I know they will make you very welcome and help in any way they can so please do ask.



Best wishes

Ellen.

stickywicket

Hello Alice and welcome from me too.

I've been a regular user of these forums for some years and I've never heard of bedwetting in relation to arthritis. I've just done a search, using the Arthritis Care search engine and nothing comes up. Rheumatoid arthritis, which I've had for many years, can, occasionally, affect internal organs but it usually doesn't and I think this would only happen after years of it being very aggressive or not treated with the correct medication. As you'll be aware, bedwetting can be a sign of anxiety in a child which, I guess, makes sense if he's worried about his other symptoms. Again, occasionally, dry eyes can accompany inflammatory forms of arthritis. Children with arthritis can get uveitis which is inflammation that causes pain and can affect vision. If you are anxious about this I'd assume any decent optician could spot the problem.

Is there any inflammatory arthritis in your family? Or any other auto-immune problems? Their presence could flag up that your son is more likely than others to get an auto-immune disease such as RA.

Having said that, RA and other inflammatory forms of arthritis cause far more than morning stiffness. The fatigue is overwhelming. I was diagnosed at 15 and was told I should only go into school when I had an exam. I spent much of the rest of the time asleep. That was a long time ago and the medication for it is far, far better now but it was much more than stiffness, swelling and pain.

Even so, we all, naturally, are concerned about our children. My elder son, a sporting fanatic, developed a temporary knee problem when he was about 13, all to do with overuse of a growing knee. (Osgood Schlatters Disease) Many kids these days get strains from overuse of X-boxes, Play Stations and the like. In USA, where my 9yr old grandson plays baseball, they are restricted to pitching 40 balls per match so as not to damage their shoulders and they are not allowed to head a soccer ball until much older. than he is Over here, we are not quite so 'on the ball' (pardon the pun) about protecting young players.

I think, if he were mine, I'd first sort out an eye test as that's easily done. If no problem appeared, I'd be trying to get either a rheumatology appointment or one with a physiotherapist. Or at least pin your GP down as to what he / she thinks the problem(s) is / are and what should be done about it. Often an appointment with a different GP in the practice can bring more satisfactory results. You are entitled to see anyone.

It could well be that the bedwetting is the poor lad's anxiety about his other symptoms and dealing with them might sort it out. But, in any case, they need to be dealt with just to ensure there's nothing untoward going on.

And, how about you in all this? In my experience our children bring us both the best and the worst times of our lives. This must be one of the harder bits.