Posts Tagged ‘bedwetting alarms for teens’

Visit with Rodger Alarm manufacturer

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Pardon me for feeling a little jet-lagged. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the manufacturer of the Rodger wireless alarm in Denekamp, Netherlands. After a tour of the facility, we had a chance to discuss the success of the wireless alarm and feedback from our customers. This wireless alarm is particularly well suited for those kids who do not want an alarm unit to be situated on their shoulder and those who do not want a thin cord running under their shirt. Practically speaking, the Rodger wireless alarm is very simple to hook up before bed. The user simply puts on the specialized briefs, makes sure the transmitter is snapped to the waistband and goes to bed. The receiver is left plugged into a wall outlet. Once moisture is sensed, the receiver sounds an alarm.

The newest features of the Rodger alarm include the ability to select one of 8 sounds and the ability to get an alarm with dual receivers, one for the child and one for the parent. This is a nice feature, especially for families who are worried that they will not be able to hear the alarm and assist their child during the night. The specialized briefs are machine washed and dried. Two briefs come with the alarm, additional ones can be purchased separately. Many of my older patients have had great success using this style of bedwetting alarm.

‘Bedwetter’ Story, Sarah Silverman

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

I opened USA Today this morning and was greeted with a great piece about the comedian, Sarah Silverman, and her new book, “The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee”. I plan to read it soon.

According to the article, Sarah wet the bed until she was in high school. One reason that I am so happy to see her story being published is that the more we can openly discuss bedwetting, its embarrassing implications and its resolution, the more families will feel comfortable seeking help. Getting the word out that bedwetters can grow into pretty wonderful people is important. At the Bedwetting Store, we try to offer concrete suggestions, matter-of-fact phone discussions and product reviews that are actual stories from families of bedwetting children.

As a nurse practitioner, I speak with families of bedwetting teens on a weekly, if not daily, basis. These teens often feel hopeless, helpless and that they are destined to be denied sleepovers, camp and college dorm living for the rest of their lives. Developmentally, the incidence of bedwetting decreases as kids get older so that only about 1% of 18 year olds continue to struggle with bedwetting.

That said, it’s also important to know that there are effective steps that can be taken to speed up the whole developmental process. Bedwetting alarms continue to be an effective strategy for teens with bedwetting to learn the behavior of getting up to urinate when their bladder is full. Some teens have half-heartedly tried using a bedwetting alarm at some point in time, perhaps when they were 7 or 8. Because they did not achieve dryness at that time, they assume that this method will not be effective for them. I have had success in my practice with using the wireless alarms for older kids. Both the Rodger wireless and Malem wireless alarms allow the teen to select a sound to alert them when wetting occurs. Picking a tone that is similar to their cell phone ringtone may be helpful. Achieving dryness and getting up as a response to a full bladder is a permanent behavior that can take time to learn, but having a tool to help speed up this whole process is a welcome relief for most teens.

New Rodger 8 Tones

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

I’m excited to announce a new product—The Rodger 8 Tone Wireless Bedwetting Alarm. We have been carrying the Rodger Wireless Alarm for a few years and many families have found this alarm to be a great option for them. The new alarm offers the advantage of being able to choose a specific sound as the alert or to let the alarm rotate through 8 sounds. The programmed sounds vary from sounding like a fire alarm to robotic sequences. All are annoying—which is what you want. The brain doesn’t like to hear annoying sounds so is more likely to be alerted so that the sound can be stopped. The receiver that makes the sound is plugged into the wall so that your child has to get out of bed and walk over to turn it off.

This alarm comes with 2 pair of specialized underwear that have the sensor built into them. There are no cords or anything that has to be attached to the shoulder. I have found this alarm to be especially useful in older boys who prefer not to wear a shirt to bed or in children who do not feel comfortable with anything positioned on their shoulder. Extra underwear can be bought separately if you have trouble getting the laundry done frequently.

This alarm offers another choice for kids who would like the option of picking their own tone to wake up to. Just as we all have ring tone preferences for our phones, this alarm allows you to choose your own sound.

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