Do Bedwetting Alarms Really Help to Stop Bedwetting? By Dr. Jacob Sagie and Tal Sagie

It is not uncommon to see bedwetting alarms advertised both online and in a variety of health magazines these days. So, what are bedwetting alarms and just how well do they work?

In general, a bedwetting alarm is a device that sounds in reaction to a child wetting the bed. These work through the use of a closed electrical circuit and other components. While all bedwetting alarms are battery operated, they vary as to how they function. For example, there are three main types of alarms. These are: ones that connect to the body, wireless alarms, and “bell and pad” alarms.

Bedwetting Alarms that Connect to the Body           

Alarms that connect to the body consist of two parts. One part is the alarm component itself, which is typically attached to the child's pajamas. A wire runs from the alarm component to the moisture sensor, which is placed in the child's underwear near his or her sexual organ. There are both pros and cons to using this type of alarm. While this is a relatively inexpensive alarm type, the fact remains that corrosion to the device can occur over time. Furthermore, the child's skin could become irritated by the device connected to the body, or he could accidentally disconnect the wire in his sleep. In some cases, the alarm's sound may be accidentally dimmed as a result of blankets covering it.

Wireless Bedwetting Alarms

This type of alarm does not involve any actual wires running from the alarm component to the sensor, which eliminates the chance of the child accidentally disconnecting anything in his sleep. This alarm is able to operate without the use of wires because it uses radio transmitters and receivers instead. The receiver is attached to the child's pajamas or placed near his bed, whereas the transmitter is located on the child's lower abdomen near the genital area. When the child wets the bed, a signal is sent to the receiver and the alarm sounds. However, with this type of alarm, parents must ask themselves whether or not it is safe to have a radio transmitter so close to the child's sexual organ.

“Bell and Pad” Bedwetting Alarms

Two parts make up this alarm system: a control unit (alarm component) and a plastic moisture detection pad. The pad is placed on the child's bed underneath the bed sheet itself, whereas the alarm component itself is connected to the pad using a small wire. Parents tend to enjoy this option because it does not involve placing anything near the child's genitals. However, this also tends to be a more expensive alarm options when compared to other types on the market.

Some parents unfortunately stop using bedwetting alarms on their children after a short time because the child fails to wake up when the alarm goes off. However, it is important for parents to remember that the goal of using a bedwetting alarm is not to wake the child up at night but to teach the child restraint. Even when the child does not physically wake up, the alarm sound can activate his subconscious reflex to help end bedwetting.

Parents can also be encouraged to know that, 40% to 50% of the time, bedwetting alarms are proven to be effective in helping to end bedwetting. The success rate can be as high as 90% when bedwetting alarm treatment is coupled with therapeutic treatment techniques, which will be discussed in detail in a later article.

For more info please go to: http://www.bedwettingtherapy.com

Children and Bedwetting -- Popular Parents’ Mistakes and Misconceptions by Dr. Jacob Sagie and Tal Sagie

Even though bedwetting is one the most common problems in children, very few people truly understand it and how to treat it or react to it. As a result, parents of children who have a bedwetting problem often receive advice from professionals that is not very helpful or that is downright misleading. Unfortunately, this is due to a general lack of understanding regarding enuresis in children.

Some more common misconception include:

●     That children who wet the bed are lazy because they do not get up to use the bathroom when they need to at night, thus resulting in wetting the bed.

●     That a child must wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom in order to avoid bedwetting.

●     That parents should be the ones to wake a child up from sleeping and make him use the bathroom.

●     That children should not be allowed to consume drinks before bed; otherwise, they will wet the bed.

●     That punishing a child for wetting the bed or belittling him in front of others for his problem is a good way to handle it.

●     That bedwetting is a problem that, if ignored, will eventually be overcome by the child of his own accord.

●     That buying pull-ups for the child to wear to bed to prevent an accident is a good way to solve a bedwetting problem.

Of course, there is some logic behind this advice that should be understood:

Waking the Child

Some parents believe that the child cannot sleep through the night without waking up to the use the bathroom at least once. They think that this is what causes bedwetting. However, this is not the case. A child needs to learn how to train the sphincter to contract when the body feels the urge to urinate. By waking the child at night to go to the bathroom, he can never learn to train the sphincter. Not to mention, waking the child to use the restroom at night takes the responsibility of overcoming the problem away from the child and puts it on the parents instead, which is not right.

Restricting Fluids Before Bedtime

Some parents think that if they keep the child from drinking fluids before bed, they will teach the child to stop wetting the bed. Actually, all that fluid restriction accomplishes is making the bladder even more dependent on being empty. In order to overcome bedwetting, the bladder must learn to function while full. Therefore, keeping a child from having a drink before bed will not only keep him from being able to overcome the problem, but may actually make it worse.

Punishment and Embarrassment

Scenarios such as the following are unfortunately quite common: A child runs to his father crying because some other children have somehow learned of his bedwetting problem and have made fun of him for it. Instead of making the child feel better, the father decides to belittle the child in front of the other children, thinking that embarrassing him will further motivate him to want to stop wetting the bed.

In actuality, embarrassing the child or punishing him for wetting the bed will only make him feel even worse. He will feel as though he is a failure and a disappointment, which is not going to motivate him but instead will make him feel helpless. Punishment and embarrassment should never be used as a solution to any problem.

Forcing Children to Wash Bedding and PJs

Many parents of children who wet the bed may also punish them by requiring them to wash their own sheets, bedding, and pajamas after wetting the bed. Parents believe that, by doing this, the child will have no choice but to learn how to quit. However, the reality of this situation is that making the child wash his own bedding and pajamas is another form of punishment that does not encourage the child to overcome enuresis. Instead, it makes him feel even more upset with himself and as though he is not supported by his own parents. This is not the solution to a bedwetting problem but will only be sure to perpetuate the issue.

Overprotection of the Child

Parents, especially those who initially had trouble getting pregnant or those who have children with other medical problems, often make it a point to overprotect their children. Therefore, when a child begins to develop a problem when it comes to wetting the bed, the parents want to take the pain and stress away from the child by taking on the burden themselves.

The issue with this is that, by overprotecting the child, he does not learn to take responsibility for his own problem. Instead, he feels as though it is up to his parents to solve it for him. Unfortunately, parents cannot fix enuresis; it must be overcome by the child himself with plenty of support from his family. Overprotection is never a good solution to bedwetting. It is as simple as that.

Ignoring the problem

A lot of parents find themselves in denial over a child’s bedwetting problem. They may feel like the incidents are just a coincidence and not a recurring issue. By ignoring the problem, however, this will not make it go away. Quite the opposite, really. The child will end up feeling alone in his battle against enuresis and will have a hard time overcoming it as a result. This is a problem that should be addressed by parents and children alike.

Comparisons Among Siblings

Some parents, upon finding that a younger sibling has learned to not wet the bed before an older sibling, will try to use this against the older sibling in an effort to get him to stop wetting the bed. Such parents may say things like, “Why are you still wetting the bed all the time when your younger sister has never wet the bed in her life?” While parents may make such comments with good intentions, the fact remains that doing so will only lead the child to feel more frustrated and even more like a failure. Furthermore, this can lead to animosity between siblings, which is never good.

Having the Child Wear Pull-Ups

Finally, many parents think that making the child wear pull-ups until he overcomes his bedwetting problem is a viable solution. However, all this does is make the issue worse by showing the child that the parents have given up on the issue. This leads the child to feel as though wetting the bed is acceptable and something that he must simply live with forever. In the long run, the child may never learn to not wet the bed and will suffer emotionally as a result.

For more info please go to  http://www.bedwettingtherapy.com/category/parents-mistakes