Using a Bedwetting Alarm

Bedwetting alarms are probably the most effective way to end bedwetting in children. Alarms should not be used on children under six years old as, chances are, they are not developmentally ready to stop wetting-the-bed. There is also a voluntary aspect to bedwetting alarms. Though children may be encouraged to try an alarm, alarms will be less likely to be effective on children who are forced to use them.

The mechanism is actually quite simple. It involves two metal leads contained inside a clip which is connected to a small battery. The clip is connected to the underwear of the child at a point where the material is likely to get moist should the child wet to bed. The battery and alarm itself is pinned to the nightshirt. If the child urinates, the material gets wet, forming a circuit between the two leads, causing the alarm to sound. The child wakens and shuts off the alarm.

The first few times, the child is likely to be bewildered by the alarm. Help him to wake up and turn off the alarm himself. The parent should then calm the child, send him to the bathroom, change the sheets and mattress pad, change the child's underwear then reset the alarm. When the child becomes acclimated to the alarm these steps will become smooth and uniform. In fact, between just a few nights and several weeks the underwear may be barely wet and the blankets completely dry. At this point, it is obvious that progress is being made. Soon wetting-the-bed will become intermittent. The alarm should remain in use until the child can sleep entirely through the night without wetting-the-bed for at least two weeks.

Used in conjunction with other physical measures, a bedwetting alarm is highly effective. The keys to success in this endeavor, as in most others, includes persistence, attention to detail, and a positive attitude. Remember there may still be developmental bars to success in using this solution. Age has a big role to play, and starting before the child is fully ready can lead to frustration.

An interesting tactic recommended by the University of Michigan Health System that can help, is to practice getting up in the middle of the night¹. Rehearse what to do if the child feels like going to the bathroom. This can be done in a way that is fun for the child and at the same time give the child confidence that he knows precisely what to do.

• Tell the child to lay on his bed and close his eyes.
• Say, "Pretend it is the middle of the night and you are sleeping."
• "Pretend your bladder is very full."
• "Feel the pressure of the urine in your bladder."
• "Your bladder is telling you to wake up. It is saying - Get up before it is too late!"
• "Go to the bathroom - empty your bladder."
• "Now go back to bed. Don't forget to get up like this during the night."

Bedwetting alarms can also be connected to mattress pads to detect wetness there. However, this is not as effective in making the earliest possible connection between the signal of a full bladder to the brain of the bladder's need for release. It is this sensory connection that makes the bedwetting alarm such an effective tool. A conditioned response of waking up quickly becomes associated in the child's mind with the feeling of fullness in the bladder.

Bedwetting alarms can seem pricey. However, the parent must consider that these alarms are built to handle a child tossing and turning at night. They have to be child safe and well insulated. Every model must be thoroughly tested before it can come to market. When considering the expense of a bedwetting alarm, it must also be put up against the constant need to purchase diapers, and the work and expense of constantly cleaning sheets, blankets, and mattress pads. Also, the ultimate peace-of-mind they can bring should they be effective. Nevertheless, it is well to remember that a bedwetting alarm will not work in every case. Sometimes they take several months to have an effect. If this program fails, a physician's advice is imperative.

<< Curing Bedwetting | Medical Solutions to Bedwetting >>

1. University of Michigan Health Systems