Stopping Your Child's Bedwetting Using a Sensory Device

You Are Not Alone

Bed wetting has long been one of those taboo subjects that people prefer not to speak about. Some parents feel that if their child is still bed wetting at age four or five or beyond, that they have in some way failed in their parenting. 

Conversely, some children are embarrassed or ashamed about their bed wetting and feel like they are the only ones in the world that it has happened to. This can cause further problems, including reduced self esteem or social isolation as children seek to distance themselves from other children for fear of being teased.

Sadly, these are common feelings for both parents and children and indeed could not be further from the truth. If you are one of those parents who worries that you haven't done enough or you are simply not getting through to your child, then here is one fact about bedwetting to help you realise that you are not alone in this challenging journey - there are currently 5-6 million children world-wide who wet their beds several times if not every night of the week.

Reasons for Bed Wetting

By its very nature, bed wetting is frustrating and upsetting for both parent and child. Usually occurring in the middle of the night, emotions become heightened and crankiness and tears are the order of the day.

When it first occurs, some parents will write off an episode or two as just simply an accident. But when bed wetting starts to occur on a more regular basis, parents sometimes jump to the immediate conclusion that their child is being lazy or trying to control the parent.

In fact, it is highly unlikely that it is neither of these, as the last thing most children want is to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold wet bed.

While there is no single cause for bedwetting, studies relating to chromosomes 8, 12 and 13 indicate that in fact, bed wetting is likely to be inherited from one or more of the parents.

This in fact can be quite a useful thing to know, because suddenly the child can feel like they are not alone and that mum and/or dad can relate to them. In addition to any genetic disposition your child may have, bed wetting can also be caused by things like:

Your child may have a bladder that is smaller than expected for a functioning bladder in a child of his or her age,

Your child may be maturing a little later than other children of the same age and hence may not yet be ready to make the connection between a full bladder and the need to wake from sleep,

Your child may be a particularly deep sleeper and hence, their brain may not get the message that they need to wake up to empty their bladder,

Your child might be low in the anti-diuretic hormone which sends a signal to the kidneys to make less urine during periods (of slumber for instance), and

Your child might be constipated and the constant pressure on the bladder over several hours through the night causes the bladder to contract and empty.

 Irrespective of the cause of the bed wetting in your household, using a sensory device is a safe and efficient method for arresting an ongoing problem. Sensory devices override any kinds of behavioral or physical/medical problems such as the size of the bladder or any constipation (that a parent may or may not be aware of). 

A sensory device helps the child to learn to move quickly to the lavatory to empty their bladder. It does this by sounding a buzzer or alarm that is sounded when any moisture is present.

Reasons to Choose An Alarm over Medication

Sensory devices are manufactured in a number of different constructions, but they all essentially perform the same function. All products contain a device that senses the moisture and an alarm which sounds to wake a sleeping child and alert them that it is time to empty their bladder. 

Products do vary however in the ways in which they are designed and the method in which they are used. For example, some products use sensory devices that are attached to the underpants and the alarm is attached to the wrist while other products attach the alarm to the shoulder.

Anecdotally, there are many stories of parents who have successfully used sensory alarms in preference to medication; achieving long term success. But some parents are so frustrated that anecdotal stories are simply not enough, and they need harder evidence to move to yet another strategy.

In a study that was outlined in the Journal of Wound Ostomy Continence Nursing, researchers confirmed that medical testing had demonstrated categorically that sound or alarm devices were the most effective treatment in preventing bed wetting, over and above other treatments such as medications.

A second study that was outlined in the Journal of Paediatric Child Health also reported that in a study of 505 children, 79% of those children achieved a dry bed within 10 weeks of wearing a sensory alarm each night and that of that group, a further 73% had maintained that dryness over the ensuing six months.

A third study conducted by the University of Aberdeen in Scotland comprising 2,345 children proved that 67% of children who used a sensory device ceased bed wetting within two weeks. 

They further demonstrated that children that were using medication did stop bedwetting faster than those using bed wetting devices, but in fact, once the treatment stopped, the drugs were less effective in sustaining a long term bed wetting solution.

In addition, only 18% of the children using medication stayed dry in the weeks following the study, compared with 67% of children who used sensory devices.

Some Of The Products Currently Available

There are a myriad of sensory devices available online, through your medical practitioner or health care professional and at the drug store. Some of the more common products including: DRISleeper, Nytone, Nite Train-r, Wet Stop Original, DryNite and Nature Calls.

For a parent who is trying to solve their child's long standing bed wetting problem, it can be difficult to know which product to choose. The descriptions below provide information on some of the more useful and downright annoying features of the products.

DRISleeper is one of the leading brands available. DriSleeper offers a sensor cord that can be unplugged and plugged in for immediate re-use. The device itself is made of moulded plastic and has no sharp edges. It is also very thin, meaning that it does not disrupt your child while he or she is sleeping.

The unit itself is very light and takes four button sized batteries. The DRISleeper sensor is attached to the shoulder of the child; increasing the chance that your child will be woken by the alarm. DRISleeper offers a 30 day warranty.

Nytone is a highly sensitive device that allows the drops or flow of urine to flow across it - giving it maximum sensitivity and hence, a promptly sounding alarm. It is made of a metal dome and can be easily washed and cleaned. Nytone offers a unisex design, meaning it can be used for more than one child in the family if washed thoroughly after use. Ntyone requires a 504 battery. Nytone offers a 30 day warranty.

Nite Train-r is made of layers of foam plastic, making it an unpopular choice with children as it can seem uncomfortable when the child moves around. It has a simple unplugging facility making it easy to replace the sensor if required. The urine is collected in specially designed holes so washing and cleaning must be thorough. Despite some of these negative characteristics, like DRISleeper, the sensor on the Nite Train-r is attached to your childs' shoulder rather than the wrist. Nite Train-r offers a 60 day warranty.

Wet-Stop Original is manufactured using hard plastic. For this device to work effectively, moms will need to sew pads to the underpants and then the sensor device is attached to the sewn in pads. This can be a nuisance for some parents. 

It is also important that the electrodes be kept clean and although this is a challenge it is relatively easy to keep the Velcro and sensor areas clean with washing and wiping. Wet-Stop Original is light and thin making it easy to use. It offers a One Year warranty.

DryNite is one of the more reliable brands available, as the alarm continues to sound until the sensor itself is cleaned, dried or the batteries are actually removed from the device. DryNite uses a small plastic clip which attaches to your child's underpants. The sensor is placed inside a pouch which is then attached to your child's shoulder. DryNite offers a unisex design and comes with a 30 day warranty.

Nature Calls again offers a reliable alarm feature in that is continues to sound every 60 seconds until such time as the sensor is dried. This ensures that there is no opportunity for your child to drift off back to sleep after first being woken for the device. The downside of this product is that the sensors require frequent replacement for sanitary reasons as the manufacturer suggests weekly replacement. It is however, light and thin and is easily attached to your child's underpants without discomfort. Nature Calls offers a unisex design and comes with a 90 day warranty.

Integrating an Alarm into the Night Time Routine

It is important to recognise that choosing to use a sensory device with your child each night is a significant commitment and requires lots of patience and time. You will need to learn how to use the device yourself and then transfer this knowledge by training your child to use it too. It may involve a few sleepless nights as you both make the make mad dashes to the lavatory together.

To ensure that the alarm or sensory device works most effectively, you should follow the same routine each night. This involves encouraging your child to empty their bladder immediately before going to bed. You will need to then teach your child how to reset the alarm - you may need to do this a few times - and then encourage them to do it themselves. Other things that might help include:

Have fun with your child in testing the buzzer to make sure it is working,

Turn it into a game and encourage your child to try to beat the alarm by emptying their bladder before the buzzer sounds,

Leave a night light on so your child can walk freely to the toilet and has enough light to be able to re-set the buzzer,

Maintain a rewards chart and each morning, add a star if your child has had a dry night; offer a reward for 5 or 10 stars (dry nights).

 Studies show that over a 10-12 week period of intensive use of a sensory device, children eventually begin to wake before the alarm even sounds and are able to move to the lavatory without wetting the device, their night clothes or their bed.

What To Do Next

If you have been struggling with bed wetting strategies on your own, then it is important that you start to work collaboratively with your medical practitioner or health care professional before adopting any new strategies.

Your medical practitioner not only has access to the latest information about bed wetting technologies, but can also provide you with advice and support. Having an impartial but understanding sounding board is particularly important for parents who feel like the bed wetting nightmare will never end and they are almost at the end of their tether.

Talk to your medical practitioner or health care professional about some of the more common products on the market, including DRISleeper, Nytone, Nite Train-r, Wet Stop Original, DryNite and Nature Calls. Ask him or her which product she or he would recommend for your child's situation.

Frances Peters frances@no-more-bedwetting.com

If you need bedwetting information and strategies please visit http://www.no-more-bedwetting.com

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