Toilet training is an important step during a child’s development. Doing it at the right time and by right means is the secret to its success. Any mistakes during this training period, might result in constipation and other health issues.
What is the right age to potty train a child?
There is no definite age criteria to potty train a child. But most kids show readiness for potty training between 2 to 4 years of age. Training the child before the age of 2 years is preferably avoided. You might wonder that some of your friends’ kids are already potty trained by 18 months but why do you have to wait till 3 years or so. Its absolutely fine as far as the child himself is able to squat and pass stools before 2 years. But teaching them to voluntarily control emptying before they are physically and emotionally ready for it is not right. It will only lead to undue withholding and constipation, which will again be a difficult cycle to break.
How to understand if your child is ready for potty training?
Your little one should have the following developments around the age 2 for you to understand that he/she is ready to be placed in the potty
- Child should be able to walk on its own to the potty chair and sit on it
- Child should be able to indicate his needs verbally or through gestures
- A child who had been passing stools in the diaper unnoticed will start making funny faces or stand in corner squirming while trying to pass stools. This is when you understand that the child is developing the ability to voluntarily control his / her sphincter.
Which is the right potty for your child?
For you to completely understand this, you need to have a look at how the anal canal and the pelvic floor muscles are aligned. Normally when you stand or sit, the anal opening and the rectum ( the last part of the large bowel where the stool is stored before being passed ) are not aligned straight. They both are aligned straight only when the hip is flexed, which is possible only in squatting position
So the most important aspect in choosing a potty chair for a child is – it should let the baby squat with its hip bent forward rather than sitting at 90ﹾ.
Which time of the day is the best to train a child?
Before we move on to this, I would like you to recollect something about your child’s infancy. As an infant, every time you feed your child, your child would empty his / her bowel once. Some kids do so even as a toddler. This is due to a phenomenon called Gastro colic reflex. Every time your little one’s stomach gets full, there is movement along the bowel. It pushes out the stools collected in the rectum.
It is best to make use of this Gastro colic reflex to train your baby now. 5 to 10 mins after every major meal, encourage your child to squat in the potty chair for a few minutes. Bowel emptying happens with minimal efforts during this time.
Steps to be followed while potty training:
- Follow the rule of one – one place ( with a single potty chair in the same place ), one person ( usually the primary care giver) and one word ( to refer to potty ). This will avoid confusions in the child’s mind.
- Place the potty chair in a place where the child can see and reach it easily ( preferably where the child spends most of his time )
- Every time you find your child trying to pass stools ( may be making a funny face or standing in a corner trying to push or squirming ) or after every major meal direct your child softly to the potty chair.
- Be with your child till he / she completely empties the bowel. You may involve in an active conversation or play with the child during the process. This will help the child stay put there for longer time till he completes his job.
Dos and don’ts during potty training
Sometimes even after doing everything right, still your little one may not be willing to sit in the potty chair. There are some things you can do and some things you should avoid doing, during the entire potty training period.
Dos :
- Positive reinforcement helps a lot – A small reward like a sticker or an encouragement by clapping hand for the child. This is to appreciate his effort to empty his bowel in the potty chair.
- You can read stories or show short videos about potty trained kids. This is to be done without putting much pressure on your child.
- Explain about hygiene. This will encourage the child to do potty only in the potty chair.
Don’ts :
- Negative reinforcement is detrimental – Never reprimand your child for soiling his / her diaper or for refusing to sit in the potty chair. This will have a negative impact on the entire process.
- Never force the child to sit on the potty chair against his / her will.
- Do not use word like dirt or shabby, or words that mean so to refer to potty. This will create a negative image about doing potty in the child’s mind. This will lead to voluntarily withholding the potty.
- During the training period some break through soiling will happen. Stay calm and do not be upset. Tell your child that its ok and such mistakes are bound to happen. Tell him next time he should remember to reach the potty chair fast.
- Do not start the training when there is a new change in the child’s routine.
Consult your paediatrician to rule out organic health issues if
- In spite of all your genuine efforts, your child is still having trouble getting potty trained.
- An already well trained child is starting to soil his / her diaper again.
- Your child has constipation.
