|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other survival
tip areas:
• Breastfeeding
• Sleep
and Settling Strategies
• Biting
• When your Baby (under 4 months)
cries
• Toddler
Behaviour
• Toddler Nutrition
• Tips
for Introducing Solids (PDF)
• Postnatal
Depression
• Wrapping
your Baby
|
||
 |
||
Toilet
Training:
For ease of
reading the female gender has been used throughout this article.
The following information provides a brief guide to toilet training and
gives you some suggestions for solving problems you might be experiencing.
For further information and support please consult your Early Childhood
Nurse, General Practitioner or Karitane Careline on (02) 9794 1852 or
1800 677 961 outside the Sydney metropolitan area.
Toilet training your child will take time and patience - it is a major developmental achievement for which your child must be ready. The following article explains when your child may be ready to be toilet trained, some signs that indicate your child may be physically ready to be toilet trained and make suggestions about what to do to get started with toilet training. Fears that indicate that your child is reluctant to become toilet trained also warrant a mention.
When is Toilet Training Possible?
A child is usually physically ready to be toilet trained from 18 months to 2 years, however this varies from individual to individual. The average age for successful toilet training is 2.4 years. Girls are often successful earlier (average age 2.25 years) than boys (average age 2.56 years). Daytime accidents may occur and complete night time control may not occur until 4-5 years.
If your child has developed voluntary
control of the muscles, which control the bladder (urethral sphincter)
and the bowel (anal sphincter) then training will be possible. Usually
from the age of 18 months a child’s bladder and bowel has matured
enough, she has the ability to communicate with you reasonably well and
she has developed the motor skills to make beginning training easier.
Signs that indicate your child
is ready to be toilet trained include:
- she tells you as she wets her
nappy or soon after
- she may try to remove wet/soiled
nappies herself
- overall she has fewer wet nappies
each day
- she has the ability to remain
dry for two (2) hours or more – you may notice your child wakes
up dry after a nap
- she is able to sit in one place
for approximately 5 minutes
- she shows interest in the toilet
habits of other family members
It is also important that your
child has already developed gross motor skills such as walking and sitting
and squatting in addition to fine motor skills such as getting undressed
and dressed.
Getting started on the Potty:
There are several options for getting started. Your child will probably let you know which one she prefers. Using a potty or potty-chair enables your child to feel secure with her feet on the floor. Alternatively a small set of steps with non-slip feet placed in front of a regular toilet may be used. This may be used with a child size toilet insert. She may even feel more secure facing the toilet cistern.
- use simple instructions
with words that you will be happy to continue using even in public situations
- praise your child for trying and remember this is a very complicated and new process. Learning to anticipate that they need to go to the toilet can be difficult
- dress your child in clothes that can be easily removed; sometimes waiting until summer time is a good idea (because they wear fewer clothes). A child often only has very short notice that they need to go to the toilet
- use training underpants – these are similar to ordinary underpants but are made from thicker fabric. An alternative to these is the pull up nappies
- take your child to the toilet every 2-3 hours
- don’t leave your child sitting on the toilet for more than five minutes
- if an accident occurs clean it up with as little fuss as possible. Punishment is inappropriate
- if your child is reluctant to use the potty/toilet do not force her and try again in a few weeks.
Success with the potty/toilet training may be easier to achieve with bowel motions (poos) especially if your child has a regular time for bowel actions. Use this success to encourage your child for bladder (pee) training. As mentioned earlier night time dryness may not occur until your child is 4-5 years of age.
Fears: Sometimes at this age children develop what seem to adults to be irrational fears – things being flushed down the toilet may be one of these fears. They may have almost fallen into the toilet themselves and worry that they may be flushed away. The size of the toilet in relation to their size may also be a worry. Fear of failing to make it to the toilet or potty may have your child insisting on continuing to wear a nappy. They will outgrow these fears but sometimes you will have to wait several weeks or sometimes months.
If you are having difficulty with toilet training your toddler or at any other time you require help please consult your Early Childhood Nurse, General Practitioner or Karitane Careline on (02) 9794 1852 or 1800 677 961 outside the Sydney metropolitan area.
Top of Page
Last modified: Tuesday, 17 June 2003