Bedwetting alarms

[DOPSC]

Hello, my 5.5 yr old is still wetting the bed and someone has allowed us to borrow an alarm. It works fine if you drop water on it etc, however in reality it doesn't detect the wee and only goes off once DD wakes up wet. It then goes off when i take the pants off. I've tried tighter pants, made sure the sensor is positioned in the most appropriate place but cant work out why its not going off when she wees. Any advice? I feel like this could work and DD really wants to get out of pull ups so want to try something. NB we haven't seen a doctor yet due to Covid but that will be our next stop

[AnnoyedByAlfieBear]

Has she ever had a dry night? Because there's a hormone that needs to be produced before it's even possible. In my experience, drs won't help until around age 7 as that's the deadline (so to speak) for this hormone to appear. DS is seven and has only had the occasional dry night. No experience of the alarm yet though son watching with interest.

[DOPSC]

She has if you count lifting, we've done it for a while. take her for a wee at 10pm and plenty of dry nights from then. But no, not without intervention. She does wake when she wees in most cases, even a few occasions when she felt the need or a tiny bit comes out. So we know the potential to feel the urge is there, hence trying the alarm. But clearly the alarm doesn't seem to detect her wee!

[DaffyDaffy]

Have you tried it between two pairs? (Helps keep it in position)

[DOPSC]

Ah interesting, ok i might. Just seems like we have ticked all the boxes and can't understand why its not picking it up. Thanks will try

[kmoreilly]

Overnight dryness needs three things,
1 - bladder capacity
2 - production of the hormone vaspressin.
3 - awareness

1 & 3 - In relation to bladder capacity, are you putting your 5.5 yr old down with a bottle etc? During the day, is he going to the potty without you reminding him, or by the clock - or is it random times? What you need to do is stop reminding him. Yes, he will wet his pants but he will get the feedback to hold it and allow the bladder to expand.

The other option is that he is holding everything in during the day. As a result, when he falls asleep, he relaxes completely and wets.

How difficult was he to daytime train, or does he still have issues during the day?

[Thesunrising]

5 is quite young to use a bedwetting alarm. As well as bladder maturity and the vasopressin kicking in, there’s also an element of brain training that comes from the child being motivated to want to make the alarm work. I’ve not explained that very well, but basically it’s really helpful if children are on board with the alarm mentally as well as the physical side of things - and 5 is quite early for that.

[DOPSC]

Thanks she is absolutely fine in the day and goes when she needs to and has been since she was 2.5 yrs. So no problem with awarwness, most likely a combination of 1 &3

[DOPSC]

Agree, i wouldn't normally have gone for an alarm but was suggested by a friend who went through the same thing at the same age with her child. DD is also desperate to not wear pull ups anymore. We are back to lifting at 10 then seeing how we go!

[kmoreilly]

@DOPSC
sorry to refer to your girl as male.

If it is capacity etc, why not slightly reduce the amount she has to drink in the evenings. As a result she might be able to make it all night. Waking her / lifting her is disturbing her sleep which has the ability to back-fire on both of you.

Bladder capacity at 5/6 year old is in the range of 7 oz or 210ml. This is easy to check - measure it during the day - is she voiding close to the 200ml or much less. If it is much less, her bladder has not stretched and therefore, is voiding by rote during the day rather than by signal from the stretching bladder.