Watch with Alarm for Timed-voiding in Children (WATCH) Study

Daytime urinary incontinence is very common in children and impacts on self-esteem, socialisation opportunities and quality of life, with the potential to lead to adult urinary incontinence with associated psychosocial comorbidities. The estimated annual cost for urinary incontinence in Australian children aged 5-15 is at least $116.1 million (extrapolating from 2001 adult data of $387 per person in 10% children aged 5-15). Timed voiding is an effective, non-pharmacological treatment for treating DUI in adults, but is less effective in children, possibly due to poor compliance. The use of a personal alarm watch may enhance the effectiveness of timed voiding in children. A randomised controlled trial is the best research method to definitively answer the question of whether timed voiding aided by an alarm watch is superior to timed voiding alone. If found to be successful, incorporating a personalised alarm watch to aid timed voiding will provide a simple, inexpensive but effective non-pharmacological treatment for managing daytime urinary incontinence in children. If the alarm watch does not improve timed voiding, this knowledge will reduce unnecessary financial costs for families.