Wanneer moet ik met een plaswekker beginnen?

The vast majority of children are more potty-trained during the day than at night, because they are more aware of what is happening during the day. They sense the feeling of a full bladder more easily, so they go to the bathroom in time more often. This process is harder to teach when in a deep sleep.

The brain must convert the signal from a full bladder into a wake-up reflex while sleeping. If this isn't recognised in time, your child will wet the bed.

There may be physical issues or indications that this process is not working as it should. Or you might suspect that your child has a relatively small bladder or produces a relatively large amount of urine. In short, do you suspect that there is a physical cause for the bedwetting, and does your child want it to stop? Contact your GP to discuss the issue of bedwetting!

Are there no physical causes, but is your child simply not waking up or waking up too late from having to go to the bathroom? The bedwetting alarm training is scientifically proven to be the most effective method   for teaching your child to wake up in time from the feeling of a full bladder.

The bedwetting alarm is not a cure-all. It is however a tool for an effective training. As with any training, it requires a certain amount of perseverance. That is why it is important to start the bedwetting alarm training at the right time.

Although the right time to start with the bedwetting alarm training is difficult to pinpoint, the following points do matter.

1. Your child is motivated to tackle the issue of bedwetting.

During the bedwetting alarm training, your child will be woken up when the sensor briefs detect the first drops of urine. Nobody likes to be woken up in the middle of the night, unless you realise what you are doing it for. That is why your child being motivated is the key to success.

With a relatively large number of children who don't experience the bedwetting as an issue yet, we see that the bedwetting alarm training is ended prematurely. They would rather wear the diaper again than being woken up at night. If that is the case, wait for the moment your child declares that it no longer wants to wear diapers.

Are you motivated, but your child is not? Discuss the bedwetting together without (negative) emotions. Tell your child which solutions there are and what the benefits are of not wetting the bed. Your child will likely come to you after a while to ask for help with ending the bedwetting. That is the best time to start.

2. The recommended age is at least 6 years old

If the alarm goes off during night, some actions need to take place, such as taking the transmitter off the briefs, turning the alarm off, going to the bathroom, putting on clean sensor briefs and reattaching the transmitter again. It speeds up the awareness process if your child does these actions itself. This requires certain skills and therefore a certain age.

In addition, it is important to let your child be able to be a child. By training with a bedwetting alarm, bedwetting becomes a thing. By actively tackling the bedwetting, your child may start to feel that it's doing something it's not supposed to. Even though it's a perfectly normal thing to happen to small children! Over 20% of children at the age of 5 still wet the bed, and the younger they are, the more prevalent it is.

Accept the bedwetting when they are still at a young age. They often outgrow it over time.

Are you set on starting at a younger age because your child is absolutely done with diapers? You can give it a try, but be conscious of the fact that the training is more often ended prematurely than when they are slightly older.

3. And if reimbursement is important: Find out what the conditions of your health insurance are

Health insurance can also play a part in determining the right time. The bedwetting alarm is not included in the basic insurance, so you must have the right supplementary insurance. Additionally, some health insurance companies start reimbursing when the child is 7 years old, while some already start at 3 years old.

If you are considering a bedwetting alarm and the end of the calendar year is approaching, it is always advisable to investigate the reimbursement of a bedwetting alarm. Is it included in your current/future health insurance package? Or can it be adjusted at a favourable price?

We have good arrangements with most health insurance companies, allowing us to claim your expenses with your health insurance company for you. This doesn't just save you from the paperwork, but also from paying the advance for the compensation you are entitled to. Practical and convenient! Find out here which conditions your health insurance company currently has for reimbursing the bedwetting alarm.

In summary

Motivated children from the age of 6, with no suspected physical causes for bedwetting have the highest chance of success. In practice, this success rate is over 90% in 3 months!

Please contact your GP if you suspect physical causes. That is the best way to determine the best treatment plan for your child.