Toilet Training

Many parents ask when they should begin toilet training their children. There is no one answer to this question. You should begin training when your child is ready.

The earlier you begin training, the longer it will take. The later you begin, the shorter the process. This is because a child must master several developmental skills in order to complete toilet training successfully. These include physiological, motor, cognitive, verbal, emotional and social skills. While children achieve some of these skills as early as 18 months of age, some are not mastered until three years or later. With all developmental stages, there is a range of ages at which children attain them. Most children will not develop all the required skills until at least 24 months of age. Many children are not ready until after three years. Even after mastering all of the other skills, many children are not emotionally ready until later.

Your child may be ready to begin training when he:

Stays dry for at least two hours.
Has regular or predictable bowel movements.
Wants to be changed after a bowel movement.
Gives signs that he is about to void or stool.
Is interested in sitting on the potty.
Is able to help undress and dress.

Children toilet train at different rates. A child may have starts and stops or regress at some point. It is important to be patient. Some children don't complete training until four years of age.

Benjamin A. Rosenblum, MD
Advocare Atrium Pediatrics