Toilet Training

00:01 In this lecture, we will discuss toilet training, encopresis and enuresis.

00:07 So let’s start with toilet training.

00:10 Toilet training is important for young children to learn to control their bowel and their bladder habits.

00:16 Generally, girls achieve this earlier than boys.

00:20 Bladder control usually comes first, around two years of age.

00:24 However, there’s wide variability and then later comes bowel control.

00:30 It’s generally accomplished by three to four years of age in children.

00:35 So let’s talk about how to engage a child with potty training.

00:39 How do we get then to learn to use the toilet? Generally, we’ll start when the child is emotionally and developmentally ready.

00:46 Again, there’s wide variability.

00:48 Typically, in poorer families where diapers are a substantial burden, this is accomplished earlier.

00:55 Basically, we’ll start toilet training when a child has the ability to sense their urge to urinate and defecate.

01:01 This can be as early as a year or as late as three years.

01:05 We’ll start when the child has an ability to tighten their external sphincters.

01:09 And when a child has the ability to follow simple directions and communicate desire.

01:15 The most important thing about this is to make it a very positive experience with a huge a emphasis on praise.

01:22 It may be that you give, say, a yogurt-covered raisin every time they successfully use the potty.

01:28 With boys, sometimes it’s a cool trick to throw a Cheerio into the toilet and let them try and hit the Cheerio.

01:34 Ways to get them to be interested in the experience.

01:37 But the important thing is there should be no punishment because punishment creates a negative experience around pottying and then they won’t want to do it.

01:46 So here’s how we might train the child.

01:49 First, let them sit on the potty.

01:52 Let the child sit on the potty without clothes and make it a very positive experience.

01:56 Read them a book, do something fun.

01:59 Then, put them on the potty when they desire to go potty.

02:03 When they feel like they have to pee, say, “Want to go sit on the potty?” This will become a positive experience for them.

02:09 And immediately when they successfully go in the potty, reward them, give them praise or small prize like a yogurt-covered raisin, give them some attention, give them love, cheer, sing a song, do something pleasant.

02:23 Then, give the child plenty to drink so that they have lots of episodes and do it over a really intense weekend.

02:32 Take a weekend off as parents and train that child all weekend long.

02:35 You can have success in just a few days.

02:39 Sometimes, things go wrong.

02:42 This is my daughter.

02:44 We were trying to train her, she was curious, she fell in.

02:48 What’s key is you don’t punish her for jumping into the toilet, you make it positive.

02:53 For me, I took a photo because I thought it was absolutely hilarious.

02:56 But what’s important is that I gave her lots of love and lots of encouragement and then she was okay with trying it again.