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The most effective treatment for bedwetting is a bedwetting alarm.

Alarms have been used for over 70 years and are tried and proven.

Modern alarms are easy to use and easy to obtain.

Wetting occurs if the bladder becomes full and the bedwetter does not wake from sleep. Alarms work by training the brain to become alert to bladder signals during sleep.

As wetting begins the alarm sounds immediately. The wetter wakes and the brain responds by sending a signal to the bladder muscles to stop the flow of urine.

Nearly all bedwetters sleep soundly, but they will learn to hear an alarm if it is an expected part of the training. The key is good preparation, so they know why the alarm is being used, and motivation from the child, so they will want to take charge of their wetting and become dry.

Expect an average of 3 months to reach stable dryness (21 consecutive dry nights). Each child is unique, so the range can be from 4 weeks to 7 months. The following is a generalised pattern:

• Step One:  Alarm sounds, parent helps child to wake but the child turns off the alarm. The bed is wet.

• Step Two:  Alarm sounds, parent helps child to wake, the child turns off the alarm. The bed is damp but not wet.
• Step Three: Child responds to alarm, gets out of bed and turns alarm off . The bed is damp or dry, the pants are wet.
• Step Four: Child responds quickly to alarm, the bed is dry, but the pants are wet or damp.
• Step Five:  Child "beats" the alarm and is completely dry. Dryness is achieved by either sleeping through the night or waking themselves to go to the toilet during the night.
• Step Six:  Child has several dry nights in a row. Wetting episodes with alarm response breaks the run of consecutive dry nights.
• Step Seven: Child reaches 14 consecutive dry nights.
• Step Eight:  Child continues for another 7 consecutive dry nights without using the alarm. The goal of 21 consecutive dry nights is reached.
• Step Nine:  If the child is still dry, training is finished. If there is a wet night, go back on the alarm and repeat cycle.

Relapse

About 20% of bedwetters who become dry using a bedwetting alarm will resume wetting to a greater or lesser extent at some stage. These children just need a further refresher course of alarm training to reach stable dryness again. This re-training is often rapid, as it is reinforcing prior learning.