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20 Top Tips for success using a bedwetting alarm
Before you start using an alarm, remember that a key element in the success of bedwetting alarms is your child's motivation and understanding that waking to the sound of the alarm is the treatment that will help him stop wetting at night. Make sure he fully understands this and is committed to stopping wetting the bed by using the alarm. If he is not fazed by wetting his bed, perhaps discuss some motivating factors or simply wait until he is a little older. Here's our Top Tips leading to success with an alarm: Pick a good time to start using the alarm when there is less stress and no travel commitments. Start the bedwetting alarm treatment with realistic expectations. It can take up to 10-16 weeks for a child to be consistently dry at night. Explain to your child how a bedwetting alarm works (trains the brain to feel the sensation to urinate) and discuss what you expect them to do when the alarm goes off. Read the instructions carefully and make sure you, your child and any other caregivers understand how the alarm works. Roleplay what happens when the alarm goes off and teach your child to turn off the alarm, visit the toilet to completely empty his bladder, change pyjamas and mattress protector and reset the alarm. Use waterproof mattress protectors on the bed and have a couple of spares beside the bed. Ensure spare pyjama bottoms are beside the bed each night. Place an easy-to-activate night-light beside the bed. Understand that initially you will need to wake your child when the alarm sounds and assist him to the toilet. With time he will wake to the alarm and take himself to the toilet. Understand that visiting the toilet after the alarm sounds (even if there is nothing left in the bladder) is an important part of the process. Avoid waking your child to visit the toilet. Let the alarm do the work. If you consistently wake your child to visit the toilet, he will not learn to do this on his own. Ensure the alarm is loud enough for you to hear. Use an alarm with a second receiver unit (which plugs into your room) or use a baby monitor. Praise your child for independently turning off the alarm, visiting the toilet without fuss, changing his own pyjamas and mattress protector, re-setting alarm etc. Do NOT continue to use pull-ups or nappies. Use a reward chart to record progress towards independence (wearing the alarm each night, setting it up by himself, waking by himself, changing his own pyjamas, ) and eventually you’ll be able to start rewarding less frequent wetting and smaller wet patches on the bed. In order for the alarm to work, you and your child will need to commit to using the alarm EVERY night. Avoid skipping nights. Be consistent and persistent. Some children become dry very quickly, in a matter of days, others take much longer, up to 16 weeks. Research suggests that if your child is still not dry at 12 weeks, you should not give up. Most children are dry by 12 weeks but a good percentage of children become dry between 12-16 weeks. If your child is getting tired from waking at night. Try and get him to bed a littler earlier. This will not last forever! The experts suggest you should continue to use the alarm until your child has 14 consecutive dry nights. Specialists agree that having success staying dry at night is often linked to good daytime toilet habits. At the same time as working on night-time habits ensure you are working with your child during the day, to make sure he is drinking plenty of water, taking regular toilet breaks and taking his time and completely emptying his bladder. Avoid caffeinated and fizzy drinks and make sure he takes his time visiting the toilet before bed. Remember, the first couple of weeks are the hardest then it gets easier. Your job is to keep up the praise, encouragement and reassurance. Here’s to happy dry nights.
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School Camp & Bedwetting ... Tips for making things easier
School camps are part of what makes our education system unique. They’re supposed to be a fun, memorable experience for all kids. However children who wet the bed at night can find the lead up to school camp worrisome and distressing. As parents it is our job to put a plan into place to help reassure our children so they can relax and have a positive experience. Bedwetting is more common than you may think. Around 5% of school aged children wet at night, so there is likely to be at least 1 or 2 children per class who will be trying to figure out how best to cope with their bedwetting while on camp. Not all children, but most school age children will want to deal with their bedwetting discreetly and you should be able to reassure your child and have a plan in place. Here’s 5 simple ways to help: 1. Staying hydrated during the day Drinking plenty of water during the daytime is important so your child is not too thirsty later into the evening. You don’t want your child guzzling water right before bedtime. A good way to remind your child to drink regularly throughout is by using a vibrating reminder watch. Set the alarm on the watch to vibrate regularly to remind your child to take a drink break. 2. Pull-ups or Disposable Pants Be prepared before camp by placing pull-ups (or disposable incontinence pants) inside the sleeping bag for each night at camp. School camps are usually 2 or 3 nights, so you’ll need to include 1 for each night. Inside the sleeping bag also place some small plastic bags for the wet pull-up or pants. At night when lights are out your child can discreetly put the pull-up on and in the morning your child can discreetly take the pull-up off and put it inside the plastic bag. 3. Speak with teachers and/or the parent help Make sure at least one teacher or parent knows the situation and can help where needed. Discuss the plan you have in place for your child and ask for help to remind your child to visit the toilet before heading to bed. If your child is using a pull-up or disposable pants, ask the teacher or parent to collect the pull-up from your child’s sleeping bag in the morning and dispose of it discreetly. 4. Hygiene matters In the morning your child will need to take a shower or they may find it easier to use wet wipes to wipe themselves clean. Discuss this as part of the plan. 5. Have an ‘Action Plan’ Sit down with your child and make an action plan of ways to help them through. You might like to have a practice run through one night at home. Explain the importance of drinking water throughout the day and explain how they can manage their pull-ups in the evening and in the morning. Reassure them that a specific teacher or parent is there to help. Explain that your child is not the only one on school camp who wets during the night. Make sure they know they can speak with a teacher or parent if they need help. Remember, bedwetting is not your child’s fault. If they could stop wetting at night, they would. Always avoid showing your frustration or anger. Some children grow out of bedwetting in their own time and some children need to use a bedwetting alarm in order to become dry at night. Need more information about bedwetting alarms?
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