Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Measuring Neural Mechanisms Underlying Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation During Naps in Early Childhood
Published on: October 2, 2019
Alarm treatment is successful in children with day- and night-time wetting
Frank J M Van Leerdam1, Matthea N Blankespoor, Albert J Van Der Heijden
1Department of Social Medicine, Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. FJM.vanLeerdam@vumc.nl
Insights
Enuresis alarms effectively treat both day- and night-time wetting in children. Alarm treatment leads to significant improvements in nighttime dryness for children with combined wetting, often resolving daytime wetting as well.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Urology
- Sleep Medicine
- Behavioral Therapy
Background:
- Childhood enuresis, encompassing both daytime and nighttime wetting, presents a significant challenge for affected children and their families.
- Traditional management strategies for enuresis have varying success rates, necessitating exploration of alternative or adjunctive therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of enuresis alarm treatment in children experiencing both daytime and nighttime wetting.
- To compare the outcomes of alarm treatment in children with combined wetting versus those with only nighttime wetting (nocturnal enuresis).
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 37 children with day- and night-time wetting and 38 children with nocturnal enuresis only, aged 5-13 years.
- Inclusion criteria required at least two wet nights per week for the preceding four weeks, combined with daytime wetting for the primary group.
- Parental completion of a daily diary was used to monitor treatment progress and outcomes.
Main Results:
- Sixty-five percent of children with combined day- and night-time wetting achieved nighttime dryness after alarm treatment, with an average duration of 49 days.
- Seventy-six percent of children with nocturnal enuresis only achieved nighttime dryness, averaging 52 days.
- Of those who became dry at night, 42% also achieved daytime dryness; long-term follow-up showed sustained results for both night and day dryness.
Conclusions:
- Enuresis alarm treatment is a highly effective intervention for achieving nighttime dryness in children with both day- and night-time wetting, comparable to its efficacy in children with nocturnal enuresis only.
- Alarm therapy offers a favorable alternative to spontaneous cure rates for childhood enuresis.
- Nighttime alarm treatment can positively impact daytime wetting symptoms, suggesting a potential for comprehensive enuresis management.
Objective:
To assess the effect of alarm treatment in children with day- and night-time wetting compared to those with night-time wetting only.
Material And Methods:
A total of 37 consecutive children (25 boys, 12 girls), all of whom suffered from both day- and night-time wetting, were compared to a group of 21 boys and 16 girls with nocturnal enuresis only. In both groups the age range was 5-13 years. Inclusion criteria were at least two wet nights a week in the previous 4 weeks combined with day-time wetting. The parents were asked to complete a diary during the study period.
Results:
Sixty-five percent of the children with day- and night-time wetting became dry at night, the average time needed being 49 days (range 22-134 days). Seventy-six percent of the children with only night-time wetting became dry at night, the average time needed being 52 days (range 22-121 days). No significant differences were found between the success rates for the two groups or between the different age groups in the two groups. Of the children with day- and night-time wetting who became dry at night after alarm treatment, 42% also became dry during the day-time. Two years after alarm treatment, 15/16 traced children were still dry at night and all 10 traced children were still dry during the day-time.
Conclusions:
As with children with only night-time wetting, the majority of children with day- and night-time wetting become dry at night with the use of an enuresis alarm. The results are good compared to the spontaneous cure rate. By using alarm treatment at night, children often also become dry during the day.
Related Concept Videos
01:15REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
RBD is significantly associated with...
01:26The Micturition Reflex
The process begins with bladder filling, where the bladder wall stretches as urine accumulates. This stretching activates the urine storage reflex, mediated by the sacral spinal segments and the pontine storage center. Efferent sympathetic impulses stimulate the detrusor muscle to relax and the internal urethral sphincter to contract, facilitating urine...