Potty Training!

[littlepumper]

Please help!!! If you have any advice on potty training a child with diabetes, please send it my way! Ellie is almost 2, so she is alittle young but has been peeing on the potty since she was 14 months old, and I know she would be done if it weren't for diabetes! She wants to wear big girl panties like her sisters so badly! help!!!

[Kirsten]

We went through potty training with D and for us it didn't make any difference.

YDMV!

Kirsten

[AlisonKS]

Tony was day potty trained right before we moved to Oregon, a few months after he turned 2. We bought him a little potty, I think it was fisher price that sings songs, etc. We put that near our toilet. We left the door open when we did our business and showed him that the little one was his. After a bath one day he decided he would go too. When we moved, he regressed-until he saw his cousin pee in the potty. Then he decided to try it again and holds it all night now!

[Nancy in VA]

I just went through the different phases with her - and she was in pull-ups during this time:

- I took her every 30 minutes for a couple of days
- Then, I would ASK her if she needs to go every 30-45 minutes for a couple of days
- Then, I would wait for her to tell me she needed to go

I rewarded with M&Ms (2 carbs for 3) for each of those steps.

Then I went to rewarding her for telling me AND her pull-up had to be dry.

Eventually, I just stopped the pull-ups. We had 3-4 accidents and then it was over.

[Hollyb]

She is pretty young though. My boys liked to pee in the potty occasionally very young too, but there's a big difference between that and being able to consistently hold it, think of it, and get there on time. Most kids are over two when they are trained (some a lot over), so this may not have anything to do with diabetes.

It seems like she's already pretty motivated, so I'm not sure candy rewards are a great idea. If she really just can't do it yet, it will just be another frustration.

My inclination would be to keep the potty handy at all times, ask her if she wants to use it at key times (when she wakes up, after breakfast, etc.) but not rush things. Talk to her about how to recognize the feeling when you have to pee. Once she's consistently waking up dry from naps and really seems to know when she's about to pee, then you could try the undies and a more serious effort.

I'd like to suggest a good article on my magazine's website (todaysparent.com) but they have recently redesigned and the search engine is a mess right now! Anyhow, good luck -- it sounds like your little girl is well on her way and just needs a little time.

[StillMamamia]

Don't have any advice for you I'm afraid, since my 4 yr old is still not fully potty-trained (loooong story), but would like to mention to go to the Parents OT Forum under 'Ummmmm...ok....I think?'...free potty-training DVDs...read it and you'll see.

Good luck!:)

[RosemaryCinNJ]

Im potty training now..I dont think it is any different than when I potty trained my other children..and girls are quicker to learn than boys are..but Amanda will go when she wants to go, does not always remember to go to her potty, yeah its been fun here!!
I think consistancy is the key...you just keep trying..doing the same thing over and over with her, it will sink in...but it takes time too like riding a bike..and you got to have patience..and a little reward when they go is good too :)

[RosemaryCinNJ]

Just a thought: Put her in the big girl pants...(especially since shes already peeing in the potty) Chances are she will use the potty to keep her new big girl pants dry and clean..worth a shot! (ok...no pun intended! :)

[momandwifeoftype1s]

I don't know why this made a big difference for my younger son, but taking him to the store to let him pick his own potty (Baby Bjorn) made all the difference for him. He picked one that sits on the floor with the part you have to empty into the toilet. I had been trying to train him with a potty ring on the big potty, but I guess he needed two feet planted firmly on the floor. He still loves his little potty for pee-pee, but dumps it in the big potty himself now.

My older son was motivated by gold stars on a chart. He always went on the big potty with a ring. He also enjoyed aiming at Cheerios.

They are two kids in the same family, whose potty training experiences were completely different. I think potty training was the worst thing about being a mother (besides diabetes, medical issues). I used to have daydreams about potty training camps where I could drop my kids off at an expert potty trainer's house for 2 weeks and then pick them up. Good luck!

[bgallini]

I can't see why diabetes would make potty training any different (unless brand new dx). If you feel she is ready, take her out to buy some big girl underpants and put them on her one morning when you can plan to just stay home and play. Put the undies on her (no need for any other clothes if it's not too cold where you are) and show her the potty/toilet and tell her now she has to go pee on the potty. Depending on her personality, either tell her to go potty every 2 hours or so, or just leave her to her own devices. If she is the stubborn, I'll-do-it-myself type, she may rebel some if you are always telling her to go. But if she is into pleasing mom and dad, telling her to go every 2 hours may work. ('tell' don't 'ask'...if you 'ask' she may say no but then pee on floor!) Leave her in the undies for at least 2 days to see how she will do. She will need to have some accidents before she can truly realize when she needs to go. (ok, a few kids do it with no accidents but that's rare). Be positive and pleasant about it, even accidents (oops! run to the potty!)

If, after 2 days, you and/or she are totally stressed, go back to diapers for awhile!!!

[Lindy]

I have a 21 month old daughter (non-d) - I can't imagine potty training her yet..... that's impressive you are as far as you are! I have never "trained" the older 2 boys - when they were ready they did it on their own - no prompting from me and they were both trained by 3 - so we'll see what our youngest will do. She has shown some interest in the potty - but has a little confusion as she watches 2 older brothers! :eek:;)