Symptomatic treatment of acquired and persistent enuresis.

2 groups of latency-age male entireties were given symptomatic treatment consisting of routine supportive contact followed, if necessary, by the wettingalarm treatment for enuresis. 1 group was composed of 22 persistent enuretics (those who have wet since birth) and the other of 23 acquired enuretics (those who have started to wet after a period of continence). In contrast to the persistent enuretics the acquired enuretics responded more favorably to routine contact alone; took less time; wet less frequently; and showed a faster rate of decrease in the course of symptomatic treatment. However, they had a higher rate of relapse, and had more symptoms and more deterioration in other areas of behavior in general after treatment. Among the many types of enuretics distinguished by workers in this field, the contrast most frequently made is between persistent and acquired enuretics. Persistent enuretics are those who have wet since birth, while acquired enuretics are those who have started to wet after a period of continence. The distinction, first reported in the medical literature by Thursfield (1923), has so grown in importance as to warrant the lead editorial in a recent issue of the British Medical Journal (1960). This article represents the view of most present-day authorities and clearly states that acquired and persistent enuretics differ in etiology, personality characteristics, and prognosis. Furthermore, the authors of the article state that the nature of the treatment employed depends on whether the enuresis is of a persistent or acquired type. Despite the importance of this distinction, there have been only four studies in which a direct comparison has been made between