potty training a diabetic toddler.... tips?

Charlotte'sMom · #1 01-13-2009, 05:01 PM

DD just turned 2 and is trying her darndest to potty train herself, despite my attempts to dissuade her. I just potty-trained my 3 yo and I'm not really in the mood for this. But she insists on sitting on the toilet at every diaper change and occasionally pees and poops in there too. While it seems easier to just keep her in diapers, I suppose I could just go with it and see how she does.

But in the hospital someone said that potty training a diabetic toddler is difficult because when their bg is high, they pee a lot and have accidents. I'm also worried about this and don't want to make potty training stressful (for me and her) if she's going to be prone to accidents she can't really avoid.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Advice? Should I insist on the diapers until she's older?

hawkeyegirl · #2 01-13-2009, 05:03 PM

I can tell you that Jack was potty trained during the time right before and right after diagnosis, and he's never had a pee accident. He's kind of a freak of nature, though. He can hold it FOREVER. (He was also older too - 3.5 years).

Charlotte'sMom · #3 01-13-2009, 05:06 PM

Yeah, I tried potty training my son when he was closer to two. We spent all year going back and forth. I told myself I'd just wait until DD was older. But she's got other ideas, much to my dismay. (But on the other hand-- it would be nice to only have 1 in diapers.

Just a couple months ago I had 3.

)

andeefig · #4 01-13-2009, 05:09 PM

Max was D when we trained him (at 2.5 yrs old) and he was super duper easy (compared to friend's stories of their kids). So, for us, D didn't make a difference.

Oh, except that if when we check his BG before we go to bed, if he's running a little high, we'll get him up to go potty so we don't have an accident.

Good luck

joy orz · #5 01-13-2009, 05:15 PM

Wow, I'd love Ava to self potty train! She does seem to have accidents, but she's two and a half, so I'm not sure if it's a d thing or a toddler thing. I'm trying to keep her in big girl pants at home and diapers for naps and going out.

Good luck. Maybe pull ups as a compromise?

Charlotte'sMom · #6 01-13-2009, 05:27 PM

Okay, maybe the diabetes won't make a difference. My biggest worry is when I dare to venture out of the house with all 3 kids having her have an accident or needing to help her go potty-- I only have so many hands. If she keeps this up, maybe I'll break out the underwear and let her try.

Nancy in VA · #7 01-13-2009, 05:32 PM

We started potty training with pull ups. I know for some it doesn't work. What we did was put underwear on and then the pull up, so they feel the wet and gross and the clothes don't get wet.

Emma was old enough to understand incentives. Here's what I did (in progression over about 2 weeks):
- 3 M&M if she went on the potty (when I took her or when she asked - I did it every 30 minutes)
- Then, 3 M&Ms if she went potty and her pull-up was dry (I still suggested it)
- Then, 3 M&M if she went potty with HER suggesting it (she didn't get them if I suggested it, but my suggestions were now at about 2 hours)

She still sleeps in a pull-up for naps and overnight because she does still go high or low, meaning she is pumped with a lot of juice overnight. I'm not ready to wake her up to pee before I go to bed because 1) she wouldn't go to sleep for an hour; and 2) she's already disturbed enough with our checking her overnight

andeefig · #8 01-13-2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlotte'sMom

Okay, maybe the diabetes won't make a difference. My biggest worry is when I dare to venture out of the house with all 3 kids having her have an accident or needing to help her go potty-- I only have so many hands. If she keeps this up, maybe I'll break out the underwear and let her try.

Maybe when you go out, and you notoce she is running high, you can just suggest the bathroom more. That's what we did at the beginning and it worked out well. You could try pull-ups when you go out, too, but I always felt like they were glorified diapers anyway (JMO).

Good luck!