Bed Wetting Alarm

The most common form of treatment for bed wetting in older children is the use of a bed wetting alarm. This is because the most common cause of bed wetting is the lack of a connection between the sensation of the urge to urinate during a deep sleep and the  trigger to wake and visit the bathroom to do so.

In 2006, the British Journal of Urology published major bed wetting study that concluded that a lot of kids will never outgrow bed wetting - unless they get help.

This study found that if a 7 yr old is wetting only 1 - 2 nights in a week, there is a 96% probability they will outgrow it by age 15. This reduces to 76% if they wet 3-6 a week with a  chance of outgrowing bed wetting by age 19. In contrast a 7 yr old who has a wet bed every night rarely stops unless they are provided with help to stop!

A toddler may not yet have developed night control of their bladder contractions and a 3  yr old or 4 yr old still wetting the bed, may not have developed yet the self will to learn from training with a bed wetting alarm. Using a bed wetting alarm should be discussed with a doctor or health professional before starting treatment using a bed wetting alarm for any child under 4.

Any child (over 5), teenager or adult can use a bed wetting alarm, but if their problem is a long standing one, they should also consider consultation or reading about bed wetting treatments, as other treatments may help by being incorporated with alarm treatment to give them a better chance of success or may of themselves be more successful.

Deep Sleeepers and Bed Wetting

The majority of bed wetters are deep sleepers. Because they are in such a  deep sleep, a conscious lack of recognition of bladder contractions means they fail to respond and resist the urge to urinate,  by waking and going to the bathroom. Failure to recognize bladder contractions while sleeping is the most common cause of bed wetting.

When these contractions are recognized, the bed wetter will respond normally. The use of a bed wetting alarm is the main choice of treatment for these children. The bed wetting alarm sounds when the first drops of wetness are sensed and the sound or vibration wakes the child. After some repetition of this treatment, the child’s body catches on and starts to recognize the urge and associate it naturally with a need to wake.