Potty Training a Diabetic

[Nancy in VA]

Emma had just started showing an interest in the potty when she got sick. Of course, its kinda hard to potty train when you are filling a diaper every hour, so of course we have back tracked. And since she still has some occasional highs and she drinks much more water than she used to, potty training is a bit tougher.

Any tips for potty training your 2-year-old diabetic? And, what will I do with the pump when she goes potty (do you disconnect it?)

[kiwikid]

I don't think theres much difference in potty training for a kid with diabetes vs one without. Its all in the " knowing the feeling of needing to go" and not being to lazy or busy to get there :rolleyes: . Good numbers will help of course. I didn't find Rachel any different to my 3 older kids.

I make sure Rachels pump isn't attached to her clothing. She always wears a pump pack on a belt so it doesn't interfere with pants going up and down. It pays to keep the tubing secure and we use a "TubeGuard" for that purpose. It also works as a safety device as well as it takes the tension if the pump is dropped.

Good Luck - I'm glad I'm past that stage :eek:

[Cyndi]

I agree with kiwikid it wasn't any different potty training my daughter than my other two children. She was really pretty easy. She does go potty more often but that is understandable. I do still put a diaper on her at night, though.

For the pump we use a pump pouch and haven't had any problems. They learn to be careful of the site, too. We have used her bottom and now her thigh. She goes by herself now and hasn't pulled a site out yet.

[Caynuns mom]

We had that problem with Caynun he was just getting potty trained when Dx happened and we back tracked. The peeing in the potty wasnt hard, he's a boy so a few cheerios in the bowl and it a game:D Now doing #2 on the potty was a real challenge I tryed everything from doing a little cheer, favorite movie, book, nothing seemed to work until I found that he would go for 1 little Good and Plenty (black licorice candy he calls bugs!). He's been potty trained ever since of course he still has to have that little piece of candy.

He calls them bugs because I was eating some one day and he asked me what I was eating and I told him "Bugs!" and opened my mouth and showed him well the pink & white candy coating had dissolved off so they were just little black things in my mouth he stepped WAY back away from me and with a classic grossed out look on his face he yells "what are you eating those for?" I laughed so hard but the bugs thing stuck !

[Kaylee's Mommy]

Kaylee was potty trained before the diabetes, but not much before (6months).. that was an obvious sign for us because she never ever had accidents, and then all of a sudden she couldn't make it 5 minutes in the car.. poor thing drove me crazy!

I would start out with some of those gerber thick undies, that way if she does have an accident, she doesn't get completely soaked, and how about a potty for the car.. we had a little blow up potty that you use a small trashbag in.. eventually we stopped using the bag as a liner and just pulled over on the grass and put the potty down.. Kaylee used to yell at me to stop the car and let her pee on the grass LOL.. now that she's older.. I do my best to get her to a regular potty first..

good luck!

[Heather(CA)]

We had that problem with Caynun he was just getting potty trained when Dx happened and we back tracked. The peeing in the potty wasnt hard, he's a boy so a few cheerios in the bowl and it a game:D Now doing #2 on the potty was a real challenge I tryed everything from doing a little cheer, favorite movie, book, nothing seemed to work until I found that he would go for 1 little Good and Plenty (black licorice candy he calls bugs!). He's been potty trained ever since of course he still has to have that little piece of candy.

He calls them bugs because I was eating some one day and he asked me what I was eating and I told him "Bugs!" and opened my mouth and showed him well the pink & white candy coating had dissolved off so they were just little black things in my mouth he stepped WAY back away from me and with a classic grossed out look on his face he yells "what are you eating those for?" I laughed so hard but the bugs thing stuck !

This made me laugh out loud...AND I read it to the boys...I took the boys diapers off when they asked me to. No accidents, no fuss:D No D at the time either though...