The ERIC Webshop provides products for childhood bedwetting, daytime wetting, constipation and soiling to children, young people, parents and professionals.
Lots of children wet the bed. If they are ten years or younger, there is likely to be at least one other child who wets the bed in their school class. If they are between ten and fourteen there are likely to be at least eighteen children who wet the bed in their school. Wetting the bed does not mean that they are odd or babyish. Becoming dry at night is a skill like any other, such as learning to swim or learning to ride a bike. Some children learn later than others and some need a little bit of extra help along the way.
What is a Bedwetting Alarm?
A bedwetting alarm (sometimes referred to as a buzzer, bell and pad, enuresis alarm) is a machine that will teach the brain to hear the message from the bladder, so that he/she can "hold on" to their wee until the morning, or wake up and go to the toilet. The bedwetting alarm will work best if the child really does want to become dry, and is keen to try the alarm and that the family is right behind this.
There are two main types of bedwetting alarms :
1. Body-worn alarm - this has a small "noise box" which is pinned to the pyjama top (collar bone area), and a sensor which can be placed betweeen two pairs of pants/clipped to outside of pant. These sensors are replacemeable items, their lifespan can vary depending upon the amount of use (i.e. the number of times per week the child wets) and the method and regularity of cleaning. These sensors do require cleaning with warm soapy water and rinsed.
ERIC choice of body-worn bedwetting alarms are:-
- Malem MO3 single tone, MO3(8 random selected tones and MO3(Vibrating only) body worn alarm
- Malem MO4 single tone, and MO4(8 random selected tones body worn alarm
- Malem MO5 body worn alarm
2. Bedside or Bed Mat Alarm - this has a "noise box" which is placed beneath the lower bedsheet. These sensor mats are replaceable items and it is recommended they are cleaned frequently.
ERIC has the following bedside bedwetting alarm:-
Which Bedwetting Alarm should we purchase?
Both types of alarms are really clinically as effective. It is really down to the preferential choice of the child who uses the alarm. The child may prefer to have an alarm with just one single tone alarm e.g. Malem MO3 body-worn alarm as they may like to listen out for one particular sound. Alternatively others may prefer to have randomly selected sounds e.g. Malem MO3(8) which has 8 randomly selected different sounds. Vibration and sound alarms e.g. Malem MO4 and Malem MO4(8) body worn alarms can be quite useful, if at a later stage of treatment, the child may wish to switch off the sound and use the vibration only as a more discreet treatment method.
Should your child dislike wearing the noise box on their body then the bedside alarm e.g. Malem MO6 alarm may be preferred. This has a noise box which can be placed on the bedside cabinet. Linked to this is the mat which should be placed on the bed and covered with a sheet/thin towel.
Both types of bedwetting alarms i.e. body-worn and bedside require additional replacement equipment. With the body-worn alarms the sensor leads are replaceable items. There are two types of these sensors for the body-worn alarm i.e. the flat plate sensor placed in between two pairs of closely fitted pants and the easy clip sensor which clips on to the outside of close fitting pants. The choice of sensor is again a question of preference.
For the MO6 bedside alarm the replacement item is the mat linked to the alarm box. As alarm treatment can sometimes last several months, it is advisable to consider the purchase of a replacement sensor or mat in advance to ensure treatment is not interrupted.