ALARM PURCHASE ADVICE
We are not a
manufacturer or equipment supplier. We do not wish to engage in that business.
For best results we strongly recommend ordering a device with both an auditory
alarm and a vibrating alarm for simultaneous use. If your budget is strictly
limited and you must make a choice, then we would suggest purchase of an
auditory device only so that you, the parent(s), will hear it and can follow
through immediately in the middle of the night with rousing and toileting
your child. We have no operating agreements or association with any alarm
manufacturer. If you purchase our manual or any additional optional services
we would be happy to discuss alarm purchase considerations with you. The
costs may be outdated. Your assistance in telling me of more recent information
about any of these manufacturers and their devices would be deeply appreciated.
Click here for a list of Alarm Manufacturers
There is an alarm on this list which I am now recommending which
signals with flashing lights, sound, and vibration at what appears to be
a good price. I want your feedback on this alarm and your experiences
with the manufacturer.
Here are some considerations for you
in talking to manufacturers:
- What
if any warranties do they have?
- Are
the batteries they use easily available in most stores or at Radio Shack,
easy to replace in the unit, and relatively cheap?
- If
auditory, where is the sound unit placed? (e.g., bedside, on shoulder
via Velcro, around the waist, on a wrist strap, etc.) Generally, the
closer the sound source to the childs ear, the better it is for arousal.
- Ask
what the decibel level is for their auditory alarm, e.g., Travis International
says theirs is 85 dB. at 3-feet which is probably adequate.
- Is
the alarm just one continuous tone or intermittent? Does it have a variable
frequency? The latter variables are probably better and more arousing/less
habituating.
- If
the alarm is a vibrator, how and where is it attached?
- Where
and how are the moisture sensor leads placed to activate the alarm?
Some are sewn or clipped into the underpants directly, while for others
it is a bedpad the child lies on. One company uses crotch pads that
can deteriorate rapidly and smell bad.
- Do
they have a problem with "false alarms" and how do you prevent them?
- If
the device is vibration only, remember that you will not be able to
hear it go off, which I regard as important because the parents should
back up and enforce toileting, etc. If your bedroom is located far away
from the child maybe a baby monitor would be useful to signal you. The
baby monitor may also be helpful for the vibration only device because
you may hear it or the childs reactions to its going off. Frankly,
I do not know of any published studies in refereed scientific journals
directly comparing the vibration and the auditory devices or a combination
there of. Beware extravagant claimed cure rates and "free" counseling
by non-professionals at these manufacturer sites.
E-mail
me about your experiences in dealing with the manufacturers. Tell me
about the devices and what you liked and did not like. I will add information
to the list as I hear from you or the manufacturers. Tell the manufacturers
about www.soilingsolutions.com! |
