A popular method for treating bedwetting is the use of a conditioning alarm – this currently has the best success rate with approximately 75% of children achieving night time dryness within a few months (average times are 4 to 12 weeks). The alarm sensor can be placed on top of your son’s bedding or attaches to the inside of his underpants. Many parents prefer alarms that are worn inside the underpants as they can be used with DryNites (placed in between the cloth underpants and absorbent pants) saving on sheeting and extra laundry. When urine hits the sensor the alarm goes off waking your son, letting him know that he needs to go to the toilet. Over time your son should wake up when his bladder feels full. When trying this method it is important to keep in mind that some children do experience a relapse into bedwetting although they often experience a drop in frequency (from 7 nights a week to only 2 or 3). Families may also find the frequent waking difficult to cope with. Some families have experienced higher success rates when using this method in combination with bladder training as well as diet. If this approach is not for you, you could think about exploring some alternative treatments such as acupuncture or chiropractic care. Some success has also been reported using hypnosis. Dry and wet nights may come and go until wetting stops entirely, it’s important to keep a positive attitude and keep his spirits up. Encourage him with lots of positive reinforcement; highlight his successes while downplaying accidents.

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