Is A Bed Wetting Alarm Better Than Medicines?

Last Updated on February 17, 2023 by Shield Bedwetting Alarm

It’s true that children outgrow bed wetting at some point. However, bedwetting is stressful and impairs a child’s social and academic life. So, waiting endlessly for your child to eventually outgrow may not be the best solution.

There are many ways you can help your child achieve dryness.  Two known way of treating bedwetting is with a bed wetting alarm and bedwetting medications. In this blog post, we discuss some of the common advantages and disadvantages of both treatment methods.

 

Bed Wetting Alarms

Can be used for long-term treatment because the relapse rate is usually low. Bed wetting alarms works on behavior modification principle, that is, these alarms condition the human brain to recognize the need to empty a full bladder during sleep, and gradually teaches the user to stay dry throughout the night. Visit the Shield Alarm Store for child friendly alarm

The advantages and disadvantages of a bed wetting alarm depends on the type of the alarm you have. But generally speaking, a bed wetting alarm does not have  side effects as medicines. Most bed wetting alarms come with loud sounds and strong vibrations, and some advanced ones also have light alerts.

Loud sounds or alert tones are essential feature of a bed wetting alarm.  These are designed to wake up the user as soon as bedwetting begins, but they can startle the bedwetting child as well as other family members. Therefore, it is advisable to take adequate precaution in letting your child and other children or elderly people to get use to the loud alert tones.

Treatment with bed wetting alarm requires persistence and patience and may take a few weeks or months. However, when followed rigidly about 80 percent children show improvement in nighttime urinary control. In case of relapse a child can be retreated quickly. Research shows that relapse rate of bed wetting alarms is about 35 percent.

 

Medicines

Have higher relapse rate and they don’t cure bedwetting. Medicines just treat symptoms and a child is likely to experience relapse when medication is stopped. Medicines can cause headache, runny nose, constipation, anxiety or dry mouths. However, medication can be used for special occasions or for nights when the child is sleeping away from home. Consult your child’s pediatrician before giving any medicines to your child and find out if medicines are conducive for occasional or regular use. In either case educate yourself about benefits and side effects of bedwetting medication.