Bed-wetting alarms can be a very helpful device when treating a child who wet's the bed. Read about the pro's and con's of an alarm.
Enuresis, otherwise known as bed-wetting to the rest of us, affects millions of people each year. Those affected are primarily children. For those of us who have dealt with the issue of bed-wetting it can be a difficult thing to go through. Not only for the bed-wetter but for everyone who is living in the same household.
The key to seeking the right treatment is to first determine what type of enuresis the individual is suffering from. The most common is called primary enuresis. This is generally for the individual who has never completely achieved nighttime control of their bladder.
The other type is referred to as secondary enuresis. This means that the individual has at one time achieved full control of their bladder overnight but for some reason have dealt with some sort of trauma that has caused them to regress back into wetting the bed. Examples of this type of trauma can be some sort of stressful event such as a death in the family, divorce or even a medical condition.
There are treatments available to those who suffer from wetting the bed. You might find it beneficial to discuss treatment options available with your child's pediatrician. It is important to know that know matter what you offer your love and support during this difficult time. The individual who wets the bed already suffers the embarrassment and humiliation that is associated with being a bed-wetter. Losing your temper or making unkind remarks will only worsen the situation.
One of the treatments available is what is called a bed-wetting alarm. There are many types available on the market but the two most common are pretty basic. One is simply an alarm that goes off when the child starts to wet. The other is an alarm with a vibrating feature that also goes off when the child starts to wet the bed. Most alarms have a strap that hooks up on the collar of the child's pajamas while the other end is attached to the crotch area of the underwear with the sensor that reacts once the child starts to wet the bed.
The drawbacks to using a bed-wetting alarm are that they can be extremely loud. In most cases children sleep very deeply. So while everyone else in the home is woken up, the child wearing the alarm will not even flinch. Using a bed-wetting alarm means that someone else has to actually help wake the child and get them to the bathroom.
The benefits to using a bed-wetting alarm is that they tend to have the highest success rate if someone else is getting up with the child to assist them to the bathroom. They are relatively inexpensive when you consider the cost of washing the child's bedding on a daily basis or purchasing diapers for older children. Some alarms even come with a reward system to help your child and you keep track of the nighttime successes. If the alarm you purchase does not come with this type of reward tracking then you can go out and purchase the supplies to make your own.
Remember that in order to help your child overcome their bed-wetting you have to commit to assisting them. Use positive words and encouragement to help them understand why they are wetting the bed. Make sure they know it has nothing to do with being lazy. And if for some reason using an alarm does not help solve the issue set up an appointment to discuss further treatment options with your child's physician.
