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The daytime alarm: a useful device for the treatment of children with daytime incontinence.

Van Laecke E, Wille S, Vande Walle J, Raes A, Renson C, Peeren F, Hoebeke P

Department of Pediatric Urology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Gent, Belgium. erik.vanlaecke@uzgent.be

PURPOSE: We present the results of the use of a daytime wetting alarm as treatment for therapy resistant daytime wetting in children with an overactive detrusor. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a retrospective study we reviewed the files of 63 children treated with a daytime alarm because of persistent daytime wetting. Results were considered a complete success when the children were completely dry after treatment, a partial success when there was greater than 50% improvement in daytime wetting and a failure when no change was observed in daytime symptoms. RESULTS: During a study period of 25 months 63 children were treated with a daytime alarm at the department of pediatric urology. The mean treatment period was 14 days. At a followup of 12 months treatment failed in 20 children (32%), 21 (33%) had partial success and 22 (35%) were successfully treated. CONCLUSIONS: In children with therapy resistant daytime wetting and an overactive detrusor the daytime alarm may be a useful treatment tool. Complete cure of daytime incontinence can be attained in 35% of patients, almost a third have improvement in their complaints and training fails in a third.

Published 6 June 2006 in J Urol, 176(1): 325-7.
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