Bedwetting alarms are an effective solution to bedwetting because they involve behavior modification techniques. These devices are designed to sound an alarm at the first sign of moisture in the bed. The idea is to wake the child so that he/ she will have time to go to the bathroom and in so doing avoid a bed wetting accident. They are effective solutions for nocturnal enuresis because after using them continuously for two or three months, the child will learn to wake up when he/she needs to go to the bathroom. Bedwetting alarms are an effective alternative to medications, but they will need to be used with other methods of keeping the bed dry, such as liners and absorbent diapers.
There are many types of enuresis alarms available. Parents will want to look at all the different models of bed wetting alarms to find one that will prove effective in solving the bed wetting problem. Bedwetting alarms are designed to suit the age of the child as well as the gender. For example, the alarms that use small liners for underpants with a sensor in between the liner and the underwear may not be suitable for older boys because of the small size of the liner. Parents also have to test the sound of the alarm to make sure that it will wake children who are deep sleepers.
Some of the newer bedwetting alarms on the market come in bright colors that will be delightful for young children. The alarm is clipped to the nightclothes, close to the shoulder and is so lightweight that the child won’t even notice it. Even when the batteries are in place, this enuresis alarm weighs less than one ounce. However, this bed wetting alarm is connected to the sensor by means of a wire. Even though it is designed so that the child won’t get tangled in the wire during the night, it is relatively easy to disconnect the wire. Then the bed wetting alarm will not prove to be of any use.
You can get bedwetting alarms that are really effective for sound sleepers. These enuresis alarms have both sound and vibration to make sure that the child does wake up. The bed wetting alarm has a selector that lets you choose just sound or vibration or you can use both. This lets you experiment with the alarm to find the one that will wake the child the easiest, especially if the alarm is loud and wakes another child sleeping in the same room. The settings on this alarm also have flashing lights. Although it is a little larger, it is not heavy and with the batteries, it weighs about two ounces.
According to statistics, bedwetting alarms completely solve the problem of a child wetting the bed in about two or three months. This is because the child gets used to waking at a certain time and after continuous use, his/her sleeping behavior changes and he/she learns to recognize the signs of having to go to the bathroom. You can also buy alarms built right into a pad that you place on the mattress or the underwear that includes bedwetting alarms.