Children's Hospital
Parent Education - Caring for Kids
Time To Toilet Train?
Recent studies find there is no benefit to training a child before 27 months of age.
"Every child is an individual and there is no magic age," said Dr. Brenda Hussey-Gardner, a child developmental specialist at the University of Maryland Children's Hospital. "Parents often feel pressure to toilet train their child. Don't base your decision to start the process on chronological age. Instead, look for these 14 behavioral, psychological and developmental signals that indicate a child is ready."
- Over the excitement of learning to walk and run
- Able to sit down and play quietly for five minutes
- Able to dress and undress self
- Shows imitative behavior
- Wants to put toys and other possessions where they belong
- Able to understand and follow simple directions
- Takes pride in accomplishments
- Not in a period of negativism
- Has bowel movements at regular times every day
- Bowel movements are well formed
- Able to remain dry for about two hours at a time
- Aware of process of elimination
- Has a name for urine and bowel movement
Here are some more helpful strategies from Dr. Hussey-Gardner:
- Make sure your child exhibits enough readiness signals before you initiate toilet training
- Spend at least one week in the pre-toilet training phase (which includes establishing words for urine and bowel movements, allowing the child to watch family members use the toilet, changing diapers immediately after they are soiled and praising a child for going to the bathroom)
- Avoid grunting and straining when demonstrating how to have a bowel movement
- Do not ask "Do you want to go potty?" unless you will respect a no answer
- Teach boys to urinate sitting rather than standing
- Provide a special activity for your child to do only while on the potty
- Have your child wear loose clothes
- Reinforce all attempts and successes
- Use tangible reinforcers and sticker paths if needed
- Treat accidents matter-of-factly
- Handle curiosity about genitals with honesty and sensitivity
- Relax training for a week if you run into a problems
This page was last updated on: May 10, 2011.
For more information about UMCH or to make an appointment,
please call 1-800-492-5538 (patients) or 1-800-373-4111 (physicians).
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