Does my child need a bedwetting alarm?

Are you wondering if your child needs a bedwetting alarm? Here we cover some of the key points to think about when considering whether a bedwetting alarm is right for your child.

Are they wetting the bed once a week or more?

If you are looking into bedwetting alarms, chances are that your child wets the bed relatively frequently. Bedwetting alarms are ideal for children that wet the bed at least 1-2 times a week. Alarms work through the process of waking your child up when they wet the bed - the more often they wet, the faster the alarm works to teach them to become dry.

Are they aged 5 or older?

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommend bedwetting alarms as the first line treatment for curing bedwetting in children that are aged 5 and over. Before the age of 5, bedwetting is perfectly normal and children often learn to become dry at night in the same way that they become potty and toilet trained in the daytime.

Do they want to be dry at night?

Remember, your child has no control over their bedwetting. Still, it is very important that your child is motivated to become dry at night. They must really want to stop wetting the bed so that they follow the alarm treatment correctly. Ideas to help motivate your child to become dry include keeping a progress chart so that they can measure how well they are doing, giving them small rewards when certain progress levels are achieved (not necessarily just for dry nights) and letting them know that they will be awarded this certificate when they achieve 14 dry nights in a row.

Have they ever been consistently dry at night?

Children that have never been dry at night tend to have “primary nocturnal enuresis” - the link between their brain and bladder that allows them to stay dry at night has not yet developed. A bedwetting alarm speeds up this natural linking process. Children that have been dry at night and then start wetting tend to have “secondary nocturnal enuresis”. This is often triggered by a stressful even in the child’s life, such as moving schools or the birth of a new sibling. Bedwetting alarms are the recommended treatment for both primary and secondary nocturnal enuresis, but in secondary cases it is also important to determine and address the underlying cause that triggered this phase of bedwetting.

Do you want to help to permanently cure their bedwetting?

If you’re worried that your child may never grow out of bedwetting, the good news is that a bedwetting alarm can permanently cure their bedwetting in a matter of weeks/months. However, to achieve the most benefit from the alarm treatment, it is very important that the alarm is used correctly. This means that it’s important that you help to follow the guidelines, which involves helping your child wake to the alarm for the firms few nights. More tips and advice on making the most of your bedwetting alarm can be found here.

If a bedwetting alarm seems like the right treatment option for your child, take a look at our range of bedwetting alarms in our online shop and use our comparison table to find the best alarm for your child. Soon you should be on the way to reaching dry nights!