We have a similar, less expensive, popular product that we have been carrying for the past few years. The StaPut Disposable waterproof underpads come in a pack of 12 for $11.95 or in a case of 72 for only $52.95. This is a significant savings ($0.74/pad) if disposable pads are an ongoing need for your family. These pads are the same size as the Bed Mats and have an adhesive strip on the back.

Our washable overlay pads are the most economical choice if you have access to a washer and dryer. They are the most absorbent and can be reused every night. The tuck in style is the most popular and features tuck-in flaps in both sides of the pad to secure it in place. Overlay pads come in white or a pretty Blue Sky print.

First, if your child is currently using an alarm, we would not expect him or her to take it to camp with them. They can interrupt usage and restart when they come home. If your family is traveling together and using the alarm could be handled discreetly, continuing alarm use while on vacation would be great.

Secondly, a backup plan should be in place, even for children who wet intermittently. Here are a few suggestions:

• Wear disposable pants, with a plan for putting them on discreetly and for disposal in the morning. Disposables come in all sizes, even small through extra large adult sizes. If your child has outgrown traditional children’s pull-ups, there are still many options. Disposable male guards or women’s incontinence pads can be secured to regular underwear to catch a small amount of urine. Disposable underpads that lie on a sheet or in a sleeping bag have tape strips to hold them in place.

• Use washable bedtime pants to preserve dignity. These can be a nice back-up for kids who are dry most nights but want to make sure there is no leakage onto bedding.

• Waterproof sleeping bag liners fit into a regular sleeping bag. They provide a comfortable, waterproof surface for sleeping without raising questions from other campers.

• Mattress overlays can be used on top of a sheet or used inside a sleeping bag. The overlays can be discreetly pulled into place when your child is ready to go to sleep.

• Make arrangements with the camp counselor to have toileting twice before bedtime and to continue a lifting routine if this is used successfully at home. (Lifting is when a caregiver walks the child to the bathroom at a designated time.)

• Medication, such as desmopressin, can be used temporarily to decrease the amount of urine produced that night. The correct dosage should be determined a week or two before camp begins. Only a small amount of liquid (2-4 ounces) should be ingested once this medication is used. It is best dosed shortly before actually going to sleep.

Lastly, make sure that your child knows that they are not alone and most camps are very helpful in discreetly handling any wetting episodes. Fluid of choice after dinner is water. Double voiding before going to sleep is helpful. Staying well hydrated during the day is helpful so the kids are not so thirsty later in the day.

Congratulations to your son on the great progress that he has made! Readiness for sleepovers often depends on the child, the comfort level with the family he’ll be staying with and the child’s confidence. If he wants to give it a try, he’ll probably do just fine. Often the kids are more careful about the fluid intake, double voiding before bed and don’t sleep as long or as deeply as they do at home. (You can gently remind him of those things before he goes). Some kids take their own sleeping bag with a waterproof pad pinned on the inside, or use a waterproof sleeping bag liner, as a back up. Have you ever seen him get up to urinate on his dry nights, before the alarm sounds? Once he can do this regularly, he will be totally dry.
After he is successful at the sleepover, I would still recommend that he wear the alarm until he has 14 consecutive nights of dryness.

Occasionally, parents will forget to buy replacement batteries, forget to have the underwear laundered or their alarm unit will break or malfunction. These events can be frustrating, but a short interruption should not impact the overall progress. Just restart alarm use once the problem is corrected.

If it was an interruption of a few weeks, it would resemble starting over. Occasionally a long interruption will be necessary in a family. Just know that even if this occurs, restarting the alarm consistently will provide renewed progress.

On some occasions, a family’s out-of-town sleeping arrangements will be private. If this is the case, taking the alarm along is recommended. Using an overlay over the sheet would prevent any wetness on the mattress.

After your daughter has achieved 14 consecutive nights of dryness, followed by 14 nights of using the alarm every other night, she can discontinue alarm use. More weeks of dryness translate to more confidence about sleepover situations. You might do a trial sleepover in which she invites a friend to your home. She will begin to see that she can stay dry in any situation.

I’m so glad that you are looking for a bed wetting solution now so he has time to stop bed wetting before summer comes. Since the average child takes about 10-12 weeks to get to dryness using a bed wetting alarm, starting now will most likely enable him to be dry by his summer campout. Bed wetting alarms speed up the ability of the brain and bladder to make their connection in the nighttime. Waiting without doing anything would probably find him still wetting by the time summer comes. As you can read in our product reviews, most families are overjoyed at the success that bed wetting alarms bring to their children and often wish they had used the alarm sooner.

The two most popular alarms for his age group are the Malem Ultimate Selectable alarm in the Camouflage or Royal Blue color or the Malem wireless alarm, if he does not wear a shirt to bed. The Malem Ultimate Selectable alarm unit fastens to his shoulder, where the sound and vigorous vibration come from. This alarm allows him to pick his “ringtone”, which many of the kids enjoy doing. If he gets used to one tone and doesn’t respond as quickly, he can select another of 8 tones. The small Easy-clip sensor securely fastens to the outside of his own underwear.

The Malem wireless alarm is well suited for kids who prefer not to have the alarm unit on their shoulder. The wireless receiver, where the sound comes from, should be placed on his dresser so that he has to get out of bed and walk over to it to turn the sound off. If your son has begun waking to an alarm clock to get ready for school, this might be a good choice. Since his brain has connected the importance of waking to his alarm clock, he should be able to connect the importance of waking to his bed wetting alarm sound. This alarm also allows the choice of one of 8 sounds, so he could choose one similar to his alarm clock. This alarm does not vibrate. Another wireless option that does have an optional vibrating cushion is the Rodger wireless alarm. The vibrating cushion is activated at the same time as the sound and would be placed near his body.

You may want to have him choose which of these alarms he is most likely to use. Any of them will be effective in helping him get to dryness before his summer camp out. The Starter Kit, with any of these alarms included, also features the book “Seven Steps to Nighttime Dryness”, which walks you through what to expect when using an alarm and two waterproof overlays which lie on top of his sheet. Overlays make middle of the night changes quicker and save on laundering sheets every day. The best part is that you save over $20 when you order these essential items together.

Stock up on protective undergarments. Because they don’t require washing and drying, disposables are ideal for travel. It’s a good idea to take more than you think your child will need, just in case. In addition to what you can find in the grocery stores, we carry several styles of pull-ups available in sizes to fit larger or older kids. For example, the Tranquility Overnight Disposable Underwear, are available in an XS Adult (17-28” waist) and S Adult (22-36” waist) and absorb 2-1/2 cups, about a cup more than GoodNites.

Disposable underpads are also a great product to have when traveling. They have an absorbent layer and a waterproof layer and can be placed right on top of the fitted sheet. The most popular ones are the underpads with the adhesive strips on the back. These pads stay in place, even if your child is a restless sleeper. They can also be used with moisture-sensing alarms, so they’re a good option if you intend to use your alarm through the vacation. Again, it’s a good idea to pack more than you think you need, especially since these aren’t available in most stores.

If your child is mostly dry, but you want to ensure that your host’s bedding stays as clean as when you found it, take along a precautionary waterproof overlay. This can be discreetly placed on top of the sheet at bedtime and removed when the bed is made up the next day.

If your son has previous experience with a short-term medication such as desmopressin, he could use it during your vacation. This medication works by decreasing the amount of urine produced the night it is taken. Taking it enables some kids to have a dry night. When you return home and your son resumes using his bedwetting alarm, discontinue the medication.

This is a common question this time of year. I am re-posting some suggestions that I wrote last year about this time. Parents wonder what to do??

First, if your child is currently using an alarm, we would not expect him or her to take it to camp with them. They can interrupt usage and restart when they come home.

Secondly, a back up plan should be in place, even for kids who wet intermittently. There are a few choices:

• Wear disposable pants, with a plan for putting them on discreetly and disposal in the morning. Disposables come in all sizes, even small through extra large adult sizes. If your child has outgrown traditional children’s pull-ups, there are still many options. Disposable male guards or women’s incontinence pads can be secured to regular underwear to catch a small amount of urine. Disposable underpads that lie on a sheet or in a sleeping bag have tape strips to hold them in place.

• Use washable bedtime pants to preserve dignity. These can be a nice back-up for kids who are dry most nights but want to make sure there is no leakage onto bedding.

• Waterproof sleeping bag liners fit into a regular sleeping bag. They provide a comfortable, waterproof surface for sleeping without raising questions from other campers.

• Mattress overlays can be used on top of a sheet or used inside a sleeping bag. The overlays can be discreetly pulled into place when your child is ready to go to sleep. The new blue cloud overlays are colorful and look like a regular piece of bedding.

• Make arrangements with the camp counselor to have toileting twice before bedtime and to continue a lifting routine if this is used successfully at home. (Lifting is when a caregiver walks the child to the bathroom at a designated time.)

• Medication, such as desmopressin, can be used temporarily to decrease the amount of urine produced that night. The correct dosage should be determined a week or two before camp begins. Only a small amount of liquid (2-4 ounces) should be ingested once this medication is used. It is best dosed shortly before actually going to sleep.

Lastly, make sure that your child knows that they are not alone and most camps are very helpful in discreetly handling any wetting episodes. Fluid of choice after dinner is water. Double voiding before going to sleep is helpful. Staying well hydrated during the day is helpful so the kids are not so thirsty later in the day.

We are happy to have some product suggestions for you. These products are not commonly found in stores but are available from us on-line. The extended size selection-youth, extra-small and small- is great for older or larger children. These products are not marketed specifically for youth or children but can provide some beneficial alternatives for keeping kids dry.

General guidelines:
• Products designed for youth have sizes measured in pounds (child’s weight)
• Products designed for small adults/older children have sizes measured in inches (measure waist size)
• Adult sizes are generally cut with a longer rise, but shorter persons can fold the elasticized upper portion inward to customize the fit

Alternative Pull-on Products for Older or Larger Children

Attends Underwear Super Plus Small 22 – 36 in.

Prevail Underwear Youth/Small 20 – 34 in.
Small 22 – 36 in.

Tena Extra Underwear Small 25 – 35 in.

Tranquility Overnight Disposable Underwear Extra Small 17 – 28 in.
Small 22 – 36 in.

Alternative Tape-on Products for Older or Larger Children

Tranquility Slimline Briefs Junior 28 – 42 lb.
Extra Small 18 – 26 in.
Small 24 – 32 in.
Medium 32 – 44 in.

Tena Briefs Youth 17 – 22 in.
Small 22 – 36 in.
Medium 34 – 47 in.

First of all, stock up on protective undergarments. Because they don’t require washing and drying, disposables are ideal for travel. It’s a good idea to buy more than you think your child will need, just in case. In addition to what you can find in the grocery stores, we carry several styles of pull-ups are available in sizes to fit larger or older kids. For example, the Tranquility Overnight Disposable Underwear, are available in an XS Adult (17-28” waist) and S Adult (22-36” waist) and absorb more a quart of urine, about a cup more than GoodNites.

Disposable underpads are also a great product to have when traveling. They have an absorbent layer and a waterproof layer and can be placed right on top of the fitted sheet. The most popular ones are the underpads with the adhesive strips on the back. These pads stay in place, even if your child is a restless sleeper. They can also be used with moisture-sensing alarms, so they’re a good option if you intend to use your alarm through the vacation. Again, it’s a good idea to pack more than you think you need, especially since these aren’t available in most stores.

If your child is mostly dry, but you want to ensure that your host or hotel’s bedding stays as clean as when you found it, take along a precautionary waterproof overlay. This can be discreetly placed on top of the sheet at bedtime and removed when the bed is made up the next day.

We receive many questions about temporarily stopping the use of the bedwetting alarm during travel. Taking a break for a few nights when your family is not at home is okay. Have a back-up plan using disposables or medication, and resume using the alarm when you return home.

First, if your child is currently using an alarm, we would not expect him or her to take it to camp with them. They can interrupt usage and restart when they come home.

Secondly, a back up plan should be in place, even for intermittent bedwetting children. There are a few choices:

• Wear disposable pants, with a plan for putting them on discreetly and disposal in the morning. Disposable male guards can be secured to regular underwear to catch a small amount of urine.

• Use washable bedtime pants to preserve dignity. These can be a nice back-up for kids who are dry most nights but want to make sure there is no leakage onto bedding.

• Waterproof sleeping bag liners fit into a regular sleeping bag. They provide a comfortable, waterproof surface for sleeping without raising questions from other campers.

• Mattress overlays can be used on top of a sheet or used inside a sleeping bag. The overlays can be discreetly pulled into place when your child is ready to go to sleep.

• Make arrangements with the camp counselor to have toileting twice before bedtime and to continue a lifting routine if this is used successfully at home. (Lifting is when a caregiver walks the child to the bathroom at a designated time.)

• Medication, such as desmopressin, can be used temporarily to decrease the amount of urine produced that night. The correct dosage should be determined a week or two before camp begins. Only a small amount of liquid (2-4 ounces) should be ingested once this medication is used. It is best dosed shortly before actually going to sleep.

Lastly, make sure that your child knows that they are not alone and most camps are very helpful in discreetly handling any wetting episodes. Fluid of choice after dinner is water. Double voiding before going to sleep is helpful. Staying well hydrated during the day is helpful so the kids are not so thirsty later in the day.