Twice as many boys as girls are affected. It has taken us since then to develop a replacement hormone that is easy for kids to take, as well as safe and effective. Up until now, the replacement hormone has only been available as a nasal spray which was tricky to operate properly, so people did not always receive an effective dose. The new tablets, whether swallowed or crushed, will be much simpler for kids to manage. Taken once a day, one hour before bedtime, the tablets are a synthetic copy of arginine vasopressin.
Most people normally begin to produce arginine vasopressin between the ages of two and five.
It limits the amount of urine produced at night so the bladder does not overflow. In many bedwetters, the production of appropriate levels of arginine vasopressin is delayed, just as puberty occurs later in some people than others. Others may also be afraid to invite friends to their home because of the lingering smell of urine. As the child develops emotionally, so can the problem, and many children end up feeling angry, moody, ashamed or bewildered. Parents can also experience psychological distress.