# 112 - 6C00 Enuresis

# 6C00 Enuresis

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Elimination disorders
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Encopresis
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Elimination disorder, unspecified.
Elimination disorders
Enuresis
Elimination disorders include the repeated voiding of urine into bed or clothes (enuresis) and 
the repeated passage of faeces in inappropriate places (encopresis). These conditions occur in 
individuals at a developmental age when urinary and faecal continence is ordinarily expected to 
have been achieved, and may be voluntary or involuntary.
Elimination disorders include the following:
Enuresis
Essential (required) features
• Repeated and persistent voiding of urine into bed or clothes (e.g. several times per week 
over several months), which may occur during the day or at night, is required for diagnosis.
• The individual has reached a developmental age when urinary continence is ordinarily 
expected (approximately equivalent to a chronological age of 5 years).
• The symptoms are not better accounted for by the physiological effects of a substance 
or medication, or by another medical condition that causes polyuria or urgency (e.g. a 
urinary tract infection, untreated diabetes mellitus, a neurogenic bladder, a disease of the 
nervous system, a disease of the musculoskeletal system or connective tissue, congenital or 
acquired abnormalities of the urinary tract).
Note: The symptom category MF50.2 Urinary incontinence or one of its subcategories from 
Chapter 21 on symptoms, signs or clinical findings, not elsewhere classified, may be considered 
when the presentation does not meet the diagnostic requirements for enuresis. The diagnosis for 
any underlying medical condition believed to be causing the urinary incontinence should also 
be assigned.
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Elimination disorders

Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Requirements for ICD-11 Mental, Behavioural or Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Specifiers for nocturnal or diurnal occurrence
Nocturnal enuresis
• Inappropriate voiding of urine occurs only during the night. This is the most common 
form of enuresis, and typically occurs during the first part of the night soon after the 
individual has gone to sleep.
Diurnal enuresis
• Inappropriate voiding of urine occurs only during waking hours. This form of enuresis is 
also referred to as “urinary incontinence”.
Nocturnal and diurnal enuresis
• Inappropriate voiding of urine occurs both during the night and during waking hours.
Enuresis, unspecified
Additional clinical features
• Voiding of urine is typically involuntary but, in some cases, may appear to be voluntary. 
The diagnosis can be assigned in either case.
• Voiding of urine during sleep may take place during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, 
leading some individuals to report having dreamt of urinating.
• Diurnal enuresis may occur in children who avoid urination due to social anxiety about 
using a public bathroom or due to refusal to cease an activity that is enjoyable (e.g. playing 
a game).
• Enuresis may lead to the development of psychological problems due to associated distress 
or stigma. Enuresis may be an aspect of another mental, behavioural or neurodevelopmental 
disorder, or both enuresis and another emotional/behavioural disturbance may arise in 
parallel due to related etiological factors. A diagnosis of enuresis may be assigned together 
with other mental, behavioural or neurodevelopmental disorder diagnoses if the enuresis 
is a distinct focus of clinical attention.
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Elimination disorders | Enuresis

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Elimination disorders
• Enuresis is common among individuals with disorders of intellectual development. 
The diagnosis should only be assigned if all diagnostic requirements of enuresis are met, 
and the individual’s developmental age is equivalent to that at which urinary continence in 
normally expected (approximately equivalent to a chronological age of 5 years).
• Enuresis can occur among individuals with neurocognitive disorders (e.g. dementia). 
The additional diagnosis of enuresis can be assigned if all diagnostic requirements are met, 
and the condition requires separate clinical attention.
• Enuresis is more common among children with a parent who has a history of enuresis.
Boundary with normality (threshold)
• It is not uncommon for children to experience occasional urinary incontinence up until 
middle childhood.
Course features
• Most children establish urinary control by adolescence, with a small number of individuals 
continuing to experience enuresis into adulthood.
• Enuresis that persists into adolescence is often associated with an increase in frequency of 
urinary voiding episodes.
Developmental presentations
• Enuresis may have been present from birth (i.e. an atypical extension of normal infantile 
incontinence), or may have its onset following a period of acquired bladder control.
• The common age of onset for children who have previously acquired urinary continence 
yet develop enuresis is between 5 and 8 years.
• Diurnal enuresis is less prevalent among children over the age of 9 years.
Culture-related features
• Cultural variation exists with regard to toilet training. Expectations regarding the age 
when continence occurs and whether enuresis is viewed as pathological vary by cultural 
group. Cultural norms may affect tolerance for the behaviours, expectations regarding 
their course, and the associated level of shame and stigma.
Elimination disorders | Enuresis