Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis can plague those who suffer with it. Ending it can be the single most desire. But what’s the best way to stop bedwetting? Experts, parents, and children have their differing opinions, but one thing is certain. It’s not an easy thing to stop.
Bedwetting alarms are just one of many options out there to end bedwetting. Currently, their sales are strong. So what are bedwetting alarms? And are they a good option?
Definition of a Bedwetting Alarm
A bedwetting alarm is an electronic device that is placed in a bed and sounds an alarm when it senses moisture. It is used for both children and adults who struggle with bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis.
The idea of the alarm is that it will wake up someone who is struggling with bedwetting when they first begin to urinate in their sleep. Eventually, the brain will connect urinating with waking up so that the one struggling with bedwetting will wake up on his or her own before wetting the bed.
How Does a Bedwetting Alarm Work?
There are two parts to a bedwetting alarm, the sensor and the alarm.
The moisture sensor detects moisture or urine in the bed. The detected moisture triggers an alarm or buzzer that wakes up the child and interrupts the flow of urine. The child will either get up and go to the bathroom, or fall back asleep without having wet the bed.
The idea is that since the child is woken up every time he or she starts wetting the bed, the brain will be trained to connect these two actions. This is using the principle of negative reinforcement, a practice of behavior modification.
When using a bedwetting alarm, individuals need to respond quickly to the alarm, stopping the flow of urine immediately. They should get up right away, or be awake enough to recognize if they are able to hold the urine and fall back asleep for a bit longer.
Consistency is key. It can take three to four months for alarms to work. Like all solutions that require retraining the brain and developing a new habit, patience and persistence pay off.
Types of Bedwetting Alarms
Bedwetting alarms come in various shapes, sizes, and types. While different features will appeal to different users, each one is designed to help children and adults overcome their bedwetting issues.
The wearable alarm typically consists of a sensor that is attached to the underwear or pajamas and a separate alarm unit that can be placed on a bedside table or clipped onto clothing. Like all bedwetting alarms, when the sensor detects moisture, it triggers the alarm to sound, waking up the individual before they fully wet the bed.
Some wearable alarms include a wire that runs from the sensor to the alarm. Others are wireless, sending a wireless signal to the alarm that wakes the child.
The pad or mat alarm is placed directly on the bed, either under or directly on the top of the fitted sheet. The pad is equipped with sensors that detect moisture and trigger an alarm when wetness is detected. This type of alarm is often preferred by individuals who find wearable alarms uncomfortable or who move around a lot during sleep.
Some advanced bedwetting alarms also come with additional features such as vibration alerts, customizable sounds, and wireless connectivity to smartphones for monitoring progress.
Ultimately, choosing the right type of bedwetting alarm depends on individual preferences and needs.
Do Bedwetting Alarms Work to Stop Bedwetting?
Bedwetting alarms are the most commonly used tool to help children stop wetting the bed.
Bedwetting alarms are reported to have a 75% success rate in stopping bedwetting. That’s not bad. However, they also have a 41% relapse rate. (1)
As far as standard bedwetting solutions go, these are good numbers. They’re better than medication, or limiting fluids, or chiropractic, or other well-known and well-meaning suggestions.
But can we do better for children and families struggling with bedwetting? I believe so. So far, I’ve seen this with My Bedwetting Victory.
Should I Use a Bedwetting Alarm?
Let me start by saying I don’t recommend bedwetting alarms. I’ve never been comfortable with them. Now you know where I stand.
Why don’t I like bedwetting alarms? To begin with, they operate on the principle of negative reinforcement. It is not the strongest method of behavioral modification. Positive reinforcement gets better results and promotes a better relationship between the parent or teacher and the child, or the one undergoing the behavior change.
That in and of itself is reason enough. Bedwetting, as we know, has all kinds of negative stigma associated with it. The last thing a child who has been struggling needs are more negative experiences. And the last thing the relationship between parent and child needs is more contention.
I understand that most bedwetting solutions do not get the desired results. Bedwetting is a hard thing to end. And I understand that bedwetting alarms have the highest success rate of any conventional solutions to bedwetting. But that doesn’t make them the best option.
Adults who used bedwetting alarms as children remember the treatment time as the worst time of their lives (2,3). That’s concerning. That’s not a memory I want to offer my children.
I find it interesting that even with all the problems with bedwetting alarms, they are still commonly recommended. I personally believe that’s because no one knows what else to do.
But is that a reason to institute this solution? If something works, but also adds new problems, is that a solution we want to use?
What if there’s a solution to end bedwetting that is totally positive? That’s what I had to ask myself. I had used everything I could possibly think of in my family’s struggle with bedwetting. But I had not used an alarm. I knew I couldn’t handle one more negative experience. Bedwetting in our home needed to end, but it needed to end in happy victory, never to return again. And with parent and child equally excited about the solution and work we put into it together. Our success would strengthen our relationship.
Enter in My Bedwetting Victory. It’s the program that I developed for my own kids. I guarantee that it’s all positive and that it works. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
There are some similarities between bedwetting alarms and My Bedwetting Victory. They both retrain the brain. And they both take commitment and time.
But only My Bedwetting Victory is completely positive. And only My Bedwetting Victory allows tailoring to each individual family that uses it.
All that said, everyone needs to decide for themselves which solution to end bedwetting is best for their family or themselves.
References
- Monda JM, Husmann DA. Primary nocturnal enuresis: a comparison among observation, imipramine, desmopressin acetate and bed-wetting alarm systems. J Urol. 1995;154(2 pt 2):745-8.
- Lackgren G, Hjalmas K, van Gool J, von Gontard A, de Gennaro M, Lottmann H, et al. Nocturnal enuresis: a suggestion for a European treatment strategy. Acta Paediatr. 1999;88:679-90.
- Bengtsson B, Bengtsson M. Childhood enuretics in adult age. A long-term, retrospective follow-up of 88 enuretic children. In: Proceedings of the Third International Children’s Continence Symposium; 1995 Oct. 16–17; Sydney Convention Centre, Sydney, Australia. Chapel Place: Wells Medical Ltd., 1996:61–3.