Bedwetting Alert

Here's how it works: when the first drop of urine hits a sensor in the child's underwear, the Malem Bedwetting Alarm erupts with a noise like a toy laser gun — loud enough to stop the flow but familiar enough not to frighten. At least that's the theory. Such bells and whistles do work better than medications, says Renee Mercer, author of the upcoming book Seven Steps to Nighttime Dryness. But they concern child expert Dr. T. Berry Brazelton. "They're punitive and can make children feel helpless," he says.