Potty training problem

Potty training problems

Question

My three-year-old son keeps wetting despite knowing when he needs the toilet and being able to use it well.

It seems he is just too lazy and would sooner wear a nappy. He does not mind being wet or dirty and will not tell me when he is.

Answer

If your son has never been consistently dry during the day he is probably simply not ready to do without nappies yet.

Although many children will be potty trained before they turn three, not all are. Some do not develop the necessary bladder control to be able to come out of nappies and use a potty or toilet whenever they need to do a wee, until they are older.

If, however, your son was successfully potty trained and now suddenly has started to wet himself again, there might be an underlying reason (such as a urine infection or some kind of psychological stress), so it would be worth seeing your GP to discuss whether any investigations are necessary.

If your son has never done without nappies, and shows no willingness to do so now, it would probably be best to let him continue wearing nappies for at least another few months, then have another attempt at potty training him when he's a bit older.

Trying to force him to use the toilet or potty now, if he doesn't feel ready to do so, will only create stress and tension for you both, and really isn't worth the heartache.

When you do have a go, try to give him lots of encouragement and praise at every step along the way and don't punish him if he slips up and wets himself or the carpet!

You could make a star chart and award him a gold star every time he wees in the potty or toilet. Or you could offer him some other kind of reward if you think it will motivate him more successfully than a star chart.

It's not easy to judge when a child is ready to come out of nappies but when you hit the right time it shouldn't be difficult to help your son make the change to using a toilet or potty on a regular basis.

Yours sincerely

The Medical Team

<<Back



The documents contained in this web site are presented for information purposes only. The material is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. The materials in this web site cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. Conditions for use



© Copyright 1998 - 2004 NetDoctor.co.uk - All rights reserved