In some cases, incontinence in children is caused by physical problems in the urinary system. A blocked bladder or urethra may cause the bladder to overfill and leak.
Nerve damage associated with the birth defect spina bifida can also cause incontinence.
Most children with chronic incontinence suffer from neurological and other disorders and simply cannot physically control their bladders. These children need special help in learning how to manage their bladder habits as an important part of caring for themselves. Overview of Urinary System To better understand incontinence, let s review how a child s urinary system functions. The kidneys filter our blood and produce urine, which flows down the ureters into the bladder. Urine is then held in the bladder, which is like a muscular bag, by a strong circular muscle band called a sphincter muscle.