OT: bedwetting alarms...

[Ladyw/theTramp]

Has anyone used them? Which kind did you use? We are thinking about trying it with our 7 1/2 yo and I am wondering about the benefits of the vibration/sound vs the wireless kind...

Any input would be helpful!

Thanks!

 

[connie1042]

My son started to use one at age 5 and it did not work. We waited a couple of years. At age 7 it took a week, and no more wet bed.

 

[Ladyw/theTramp]

was it the audible only or the one with the vibration too?

 

[stacy6552]

Get one that goes off at the slightest wetness. If he can sleep through it, it will do him no good whatsoever.

We tried two models, one that had this big shaped pad type thing, which was useless and one that snapped onto the underwear that did the trick.

 

[rbork]

How about waking him on a regular basis, sort of a "proactive approach".
Went through the above problem and waking him worked until he got past that stage.
Good Luck and Do What's right for you!

 

[connie1042]

It had the buzzer and the vibration. I put a pillow case on it. He could not wear any pj's with it. I had to get up the first couple of times to help wake him up, but after that he did really well.

 

[belle&beast]

My DD has bladder issues and we see a pediatric urologist. They do not recommend these devices prior to age 8 because until that time, it is still within the range of normal for kids to wet the bed. (I asked about them because they woked for my sister when she was young.) We have learned that certain foods can aggravate the bladder and we avoid them and it really does help, even with night time wetting. Caffeine, citrus (fruits and juices) and red dyes are things to avoid. It may be helpful to cut these things out in the evenings and see what happens.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

Younger ds had no trouble staying dry through the day for long periods of time, but was a bed wetter. First, we tried limiting liquids before bed; then we tried waking him periodically and taking him to the bathroom. Neither worked. Also,we hated disturbing ds' sleep. Next, we tried a sound alarm for ds when he was 5. It did not work. He slept right through it. Finally, we tried medication. Our pediatrician spoke very highly of it (had used it with great success with her own son), but I wasn't too keen on giving my young child medicine for something as trivial (for lack of a better word) as bed wetting. Now, I have to admit that I wish we had tried it earlier. We were warned that it might take a couple of days for the medication to take affect, but it began working immediately. Ds took DDAVP for 1 1/2 years with NO side affects before discontinuing. We were warned that ds might begin bed wetting again after 6 months off the medication, but it didn't happen. We have found that he has to be on a very strict schedule as to going to bed at night and getting up in the morning. His seems to be a problem he has outgrown.

 

[medalla74]

Thanks to the op for starting this thread. My 7yr old almost 8 DD has been wetting the bed since my four year old was born. We have asked her pediatrician about possible meds, devices, etc and are constantly told to wait it out. I don't let her sleep over at anyone;s house for fear that she will weythe bed as she is too embarrassed to wear underpants anywhere but home. I just feel so bad for her. We too have tried waking her up but that gets tiring for everyone involved. Where does one get these alarms? I should add that limiting her liquid intake before bed does not work for her either.

 

[delauzons]

I bought it through the One Step Ahead catalog and was sceptical about it. My daughter was 8 at the time and had been to the urologist twice. She tried the pills but they didn't work so he said I might want to try the alarm but he said "Works for some, doesn't work for others" Anyway as soon as school ended for summer vacation we started it and within 4 nights she didn't need to wear it anymore. It was a piercing alarm and it attached to her pajama top. it woke the whole house up. The first 2 nights it went off twice! I think it's like an electric fence with a dog because it is shocking when it goes off. Anyway, it worked! I tell everone that has that problem to give it a try. My daughter was really getting upset about the bedwetting and I was getting concerned. She is 9 now and never wakes up to go at night and never has accidents. Good luck! If you have any other questions-just ask!

 

[marciemi]

We also used one when DS was younger, but his was one that had a sensor that clipped inside the fly on his underwear and ran up a small cord to an alarm that you clipped on the pajama top. We found it frustrated him more than anything so I guess can't say it was a huge success!

 

[SueM in MN]

This is a good website that sells bedwetting aids (like different types of alarms and protective underwear, etc):
Bedwetting store

They also have a lot of helpful information about bedwetting (the links at the bottom of the page). Among the links is one with tips for choosing an alarm.