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90 minutes workshop introducing starting the 'toileting journey'. For families with children 10 months on.

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Parent tips for toilet training from the Institute of Health Visiting & ERIC

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Parent tips for toilet training from the Institute of Health Visiting & ERIC

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The new, government-backed guide to when and how to potty train your child

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The Potty Training Guide - Starting Reception

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Potty training is an important milestone in your child’s development. We understand that all children develop at their own pace, but research shows it’s best for your child’s bowel and bladder health to stop using nappies, including reusable nappies, pull ups and training pants, between 18 and 30 months.

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See behaviour...think sensory

As well as bladder and bowel function, and development, it is often very useful to consider how sensations affect a child's response to using the toilet.

When we think of how children understand their world, this includes understanding the impact of their sensory experiences. As they grow they experience a wider world, including nursery school, wearing pants and going to bathrooms. How they perceive and understand sensations may influence the strategies needed to help children learn to use the toilet. This can affect many children, and especially those with developmental difficulties or with autism.

We experience ourselves and the world around us through our senses. Most people have the ability to filter out a great deal of the sensory information they receive. Children often cannot do this so well, and can become easily overwhelmed.

We have emotional reactions to sensory experiences, and these may be influenced by memory and imagination as well as the physical sensations. There are some sensory experiences which we may love, such as the feel of being stroked, or looking at a flower, whereas there may be others which we dislike, such as the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard or a particular taste such as sprouts! We all appreciate sensory experiences differently, with often individual emotional reactions and memories.
Adjusting the sensory input can make a difference for many children to help them to learn toileting skills. As children grow they often learn to adapt and become comfortable to the sensations they experience.
Sensory information

This is received from our sensory organs and gives us information about our world. The sensory systems include: touch, balance, body position, vision, hearing, taste and smell.

Other sensory information is also received from our internal body organs including bowel and bladder awareness, which affects the ability to learn continence.

Our responses to sensory information may be affected by a range of factors; including our previous sensory experiences or how alert or stressed we are, and maturity.

Sensory problems

Increased sensitivity:

Some children may be especially sensitive to the sensations they feel, and find them upsetting. They may perceive certain noises as unbearably loud, and touch may feel painful. This can lead to children avoiding sensory input they find upsetting.

Reduced sensitivity:

This is where sensation may be reduced and the child doesn't appear to register it. Some of these children may try to actively seek sensory input; these children often rock, spin or slap their hands to stimulate themselves with increased sensory sensation.

These different reactions can vary across the senses, meaning they crave input from one sense but actively avoid it in another.

Sensory aspects of toileting

Toileting, like eating, is an extremely sensory experience. Many children find that bathrooms and toilets are upsetting or scary.
They may have difficulties in understanding the sensations experienced by their own body, and knowing how to react to them.
It is useful to look at the different sensory experiences a child has and try to analyse and understand which aspects are causing difficulty. This helps in appreciating a child's perception and difficulties, and to create an environment where the child feels more relaxed, secure and comfortable.

Touch:

Touch provides information about the sensations we feel on our skin and about the objects and textures we come into contact with. Children will feel surfaces as hard or soft, hot or cold, rough or smooth. The hands and genitals have high numbers of touch receptors, so are especially sensitive.

Children who are sensitive to touch may not like sitting on toilet seats, which may feel hard or cold. They could be upset by feeling wee or poo on their hands or body, and feeling splashes of water from the toilet. They may not like the sensation of toilet paper or wipes, solid or liquid soaps. Touch and contact with bathroom furniture and flooring may also affect them.

Children who have reduced sensation may not notice when they are wet or soiled, and may enjoy the extra tactile experience from playing with their poo. They may like the feeling of wee and poo in their pants or nappy, or the contact provided by wearing a nappy. They may like exploring the sensations gained from playing with bathroom products.

Balance:

The balance system gives information about movement and where our body is in space.
Children who are upset by balance sensations may feel unsteady on the toilet, particularly if their feet can't reach the floor. The memory of previous experiences of feeling unstable can continue to affect their confidence. Some children may find an open space or gap at the side of the toilet affects their position sense, and they may feel more secure in toilet cubicles with walls on either side. The reflections from tiling or mirrors or changes in floor surfaces may make them feel unsteady.

Children who have reduced sensation or sensory seekers may feel a need to rock to stimulate their balance system, and find it difficult to sit still on the toilet.

Body awareness (Proprioception):

This sensation tells us where our body is in relation to the world around us, helping us know which parts of our body are moving and allowing us to control movements without looking. It also gives information about the pressure needed to manipulate objects.

Children who have increased awareness may have more sensation from sitting on the toilet, and they may be aware of the contrast of the hard toilet seat and the space inside. They may find these feelings uncomfortable or even painful.

Children who have reduced sensation seek increased stimulation and may enjoy the deep pressure they get from wearing a nappy. Nappies and tight clothing may increase the awareness of their body position and help coordinating movement. They may be unsure of their position on the toilet, or where to put their feet. Some children may try to feel their body better by pushing themselves back to feel the toilet cistern behind them.

Children often find wiping themselves difficult. This can be linked with difficulties in coordinating their movements and using the right amount of pressure to clean themselves.

Vision:

Sight provides information about objects and people around us, enabling us to define the boundaries of things we can see.
Children who have increased awareness of visual stimulation or sensory avoiders may struggle with the confusing amount of visual input in a bathroom. This can come from bright lights, reflections from tiling, mirrors, windows and bathroom fitments. They may be overwhelmed by the range of colourful toiletry products, towels or patterned flooring. This visual input may be distracting and sometimes cause anxiety and distress.

Children who have reduced awareness or sensory seekers may struggle with distinguishing what it is they are supposed to be focusing on in the bathroom, or may be actively seeking reflections or bright lighting.

Hearing:

Hearing provides information about whether sounds around us are loud, soft, high, low, near or far.
Children who are very sensitive to sound may struggle with the variety and volume of sounds within a bathroom. These include echoes, running water, flushing toilets, fans, etc. Some children may find the sound of wee or poo landing in the toilet worrying. Hand-dryers can be particularly difficult for many children, and can feel like a loud and painful sound. Toilets and bathrooms are often echoing places, especially in larger school and public toilets.

Children who have reduced sensation or are sensory seekers may be unaware of or actively seek out some of the sounds within the bathroom. They may enjoy the sound of the toilet flush, and they may want to play with this rather than using the toilet. Some may enjoy the noises that may echo in a bathroom.

Taste and smell:

This provides information about different types and varieties of smell; many of which are present in different bathroom products. The experience of smell is often an emotional experience and very individual.

A child who very sensitive may find certain smells unpleasant or distressing. These smells could include wee and poo, their own or other people's. There are often strong perfumes in toiletries and cleaning products and these can be overwhelming, especially in a small bathroom.

Children who have reduced sensation or sensory seekers may not notice the smell of wee or poo if they are wet or soiled. Some may actively seek out strong smells, and sniff or play with bathroom products. They might enjoy the smell of poo, and may explore this by smearing poo.

Body signals (Interoception):

There are receptors located throughout the inside of our body, which gather information from the body and send it to the brain. Our brain helps to make sense of these messages, and enables us to feel things such as a full bowel or bladder or if we are hungry or thirsty.

Many children may not notice these sensations, or may miss them completely. For some children, who get the sensations sometimes, they are more likely to be unaware of them if they are tired or getting sensory input from another source, such as a computer game, which can distract their attention.

The bowel and bladder are smooth muscles, and the sensory signals they send to the brain are like soft whispers in comparison to messages from other parts of the body.

Some children may seek increased sensation from their body, and gain a positive reaction to the feeling of a full bowel or bladder. Interoception is also linked to feeling our emotions.

How to help children with sensory needs:

It helps to understand a child's individual needs and create the right environment for them. Children often have different sensory needs, and it is helpful to explore a child's reactions to the different sensations they experience.

Consider ways to reduce a child's anxiety and help them to feel relaxed. Use distraction, stories, music, and a special toy.

Look at the environment and reduce stimulation the child finds upsetting.

If children need increased stimulation look at ways of providing this, or give alternatives.

Many children may benefit from a mixture of sensory inputs scheduled into their day.

How to adjust sensory input

Reactions to sensation can be affected by stress, previous memories and experience.
It can be helpful to build a scheduled mixture of sensory inputs into a child's daily routine. The aim of this is to help their nervous system feel better organised, and support with attention and performance through providing a mixture of calming, alerting and organising activities.

Calming

This is helped by activities to relax the nervous system, and reduce anxiety and sensory overload.
Examples include stress balls or fiddle toys, weighted mats, rocking chair, soothing smells, low level lighting, relaxing music, sleeping bags, blankets or cushions or deep pressure massage, and calming music.

Alerting

Activities to help with alerting the nervous system, with the aim of helping the child become more focused and attentive.
Examples include bright lighting, loud music, strong smells, messy play, running games, ball bouncing, trampoline or alerting sensory toys.

Ways to alter sensory inputs:

Tactile, balance and body position

Consider if the toilet seat is right, and if necessary experiment with an alternative shape or cover that gives a different tactile feeling. A padded seat may feel softer and warmer.

Consider the texture of toilet rolls or wipes and work out which the child is happy with.

Consider the temperature of the bathroom and how this might affect the toilet seat, floor and environment.

Provide toys and activities which offer extra tactile input if needed.

Build in more opportunity for movement activities, including bouncing on therapy balls, wheelbarrow walks, doing push-ups against walls or things that the child can fiddle with.

Consider increased experiences at other times to give more opportunity for movement, such as wobble cushions, beanbags.

Limited awareness of wee or poo in nappy or pants

Use a nappy liner pad/folded kitchen paper or pants worn inside the nappy to increase awareness of wetness

Limited awareness of body sensations - 'not feeling the need to go'

Use visual reminders, timers, phone alarms or a vibrating watch as an indicator to go to the toilet

For some children, letting them go without pants in the summer so they can see and feel when they have done a wee, and learn to connect this sensation with themselves

Positioning on the toilet and feeling secure

Use a foot stool (this is always a good idea!)

Use a toilet seat with a smaller hole, such as a children's toilet seat insert

Install a handrail, both sides if needed

Have feet marks on the floor or stool to show where the feet should go to help correct positioning

Use a lap-pad to increase body awareness (can help increase sensation from their legs through the pressure that's provided)

Use a rolled-up towel or a cut up foam swim tube behind them, to show them how far back they should sit, increase awareness and provide a feeling of security

Allow the child to squat on the toilet if that is the best position for them

Use a device that allows them to squat e.g. Squatty Potty

Flooring - impact on balance, vision or temperature

Cover tiled or patterned flooring with a non-slip mat

Avoid having too many changes or varieties in colour or texture

Anxiety about wee or poo touching or splashing on their body or clothes

Put a piece of toilet paper in the toilet before using it to reduce risk of splashes

Teach the child how far down to pull their trousers, pants or skirt

Child wearing disposable gloves to avoid contact with wee or poo

Using wet wipes for cleaning themselves (remember - most are not flushable!)

Wanting the sensation of wee or poo in nappy or pants as this gives increased tactile experience

Explore options to increase tactile sensory input in other ways, for example tightly fitting clothing or fiddle toys

Wanting the sensation of wearing a nappy - as it may be providing deep pressure

Allow the child to wear tight fitting pants, leggings or shorts, for some children you may need to do this over the nappy initially

Provide deep pressure in other ways - using weighted lap-pads or blankets, massage or tight clothing

Gradually reduce the tightness of the nappy as the child gets more confident

Bathroom environment

It is often important to try and create a low arousal environment so the child feels more safe and secure.

Sights:

For those upset by too much visual input:

Reduce the amount of visual information on the walls, and think about the need for calming colours for walls and towels

Reduce glare from lighting - small press-on lights or low wattage bulbs may be useful

Think about reflections, and whether mirrors need to be changed, covered or removed

Some children may wear sunglasses to reduce visual input and these may be useful in the bathroom

Reduce visual overload by putting toiletries or equipment in boxes or out of direct line of vision

For those needing increased visual input:

Bright lighting may be needed

Provide visually stimulating input for the child to see, such as charts, pictures, cartoons, sensory lights or ceiling mounted fiddle toys or mobiles!

Sounds:

The sound of the hand-dryer petrified him...until we realised that he never knew that it actually stopped ....explaining how it worked helped him understand and manage his fear - he then wanted to stay and count how long it lasted before stopping!

For those upset by too much noise:

Use ear-defenders, earplugs or headphones for accessing some bathrooms, particularly public toilets

Use curtains, mats or towels to reduce the impact of echoes in the bathroom

Putting a piece of toilet paper in the toilet prior to using it can decrease the sounds that weeing or pooing can make

Avoid or reduce the use of hand-dryers

If a child finds flushing distressing, try recording the sound of the flush, and using this to gradually desensitise them

For those who need increased sound input: Provide alternative things to provide auditory input if this is what the child is seeking, for example musical or other toys with interesting sounds

For repetitive flushing, include a visual cue for a single flush followed by a different enjoyable activity

Smells:

For those who are upset by smells:

Reduce smell input by using non-perfumed toiletries and cleaning products, and consider detergents used on towels

Use odour neutralisers

Install an extractor device and ensure good ventilation

Allow a child to take something they like with them to sniff to distract from other smells

For those wanting to experience and explore smells:

Increase smell input by using air-fresheners

Allow a child to have something with them to sniff to provide them with strong olfactory input, by using a wristband with perfume or essential oil or scratch-and-sniff stickers

Build in experience of olfactory stimulation in their daytime routine

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Advice for children with night time wetting - ERIC

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ERIC’s advice for children with night time wetting including causes, management, assessment and treatments.

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Advice from ERIC charity for children and bed wetting issues.

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Underlying causes of bedwetting

There can be underlying health conditions causing your child's bedwetting which need to be ruled out and treated if necessary.

Underlying causes of bedwetting include:

Constipation - if your child's bowels become blocked with hard poo, it can put pressure on the bladder and lead to bedwetting. Read about the signs of constipation and how it needs to be treated.

If your child has daytime bladder problems, this needs to be investigated by a healthcare professional first.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) can make your child's wee painful, causing frequency and urgency in their bladder.

Type 1 Diabetes. Alongside bedwetting, other symptoms of this can include feeling thirsty, frequent weeing, weight loss, hunger, blurred vision, tummy pain, vomiting, thrush and tiredness. You must take your child to the doctor if they have these symptoms to be tested.

When children have an additional need or physical disability, it's important their bedwetting should be assessed as it may not be related to their existing condition(s).

Get more information about the causes and treatment of bedwetting in our factsheet:   Advice for Children with Night Time Wetting

Sudden onset bedwetting

Secondary bedwetting (also known as sudden onset bedwetting) is when a child starts to wet again after at least six months of being dry.

The causes of this include:

An underlying health condition such as Type 1 Diabetes (see symptoms in section above). If you think your child could be diabetic, call your doctor so they can be tested.

Urinary tract infection or constipation, which both need treating.

Periods of change and stress in a child's life can also explain why they may suddenly start to wet again after even a long stretch of dryness.

Vasopressin, the hormone that controls how much wee we produce at night can be affected by anxiety. When children feel worried, they produce less vasopressin, so bedwetting is more likely.

Sudden onset bedwetting must be assessed and treated in the same way as primary bedwetting (when a child has never become reliably dry at night).

How to stop children wetting the bed

To stop bedwetting, first you need to know what the cause is, so the right treatment can be given.

The evidence shows the sooner your child is assessed and treated for bedwetting, the better chance they have of becoming dry at night.

NICE guidelines recommend that all children still bedwetting over age 5 should be given a bladder and bowel assessment by a healthcare professional.

Contact your GP for an appointment. There may be a bedwetting or enuresis clinic in your area that your child can be referred to.

Things to do before your appointment:

Check whether your child is drinking plenty during the day and what they're drinking

Make sure they are emptying their bladder before they go to sleep

Complete a night-time diary to record wet and dry nights

Keep a poo diary if you think your child is constipated

Our bedwetting animation explains more about the things you can try to improve your child's chance of being dry at night.

Using a bedwetting alarm

A bedwetting alarm is likely to be the ideal treatment for 'poor arousability' (when children find it hard to wake to a full bladder).

Alarms are a highly effective way of training a child to become dry at night but can be hard work at first.

Your child will need to feel motivated to stop bedwetting and mature enough to cope with the disruption. This is why it's important to talk to your doctor or nurse before trying this treatment.

How does the alarm work?

A bedwetting alarm has a sensor attached to an alarm. When the sensor gets wet, it sets the alarm off, and this should wake your child up. Over time, the alarm helps your child to learn when they need to wee and wake up to go to the toilet.

We sell a wide range of body worn and bed mat alarms in  our online shop.

Alarms aren't available on the NHS, but you may be able to borrow one from your local enuresis (bedwetting) or continence clinic.

Alarms and children with additional needs

There are alarms available for children with additional needs which vibrate and flash. These can be less frightening for a child on the autistic spectrum, for example.

Get more information about using an alarm and the different types available.

Bedwetting alarm tips

Bedwetting alarms need to be used for at least 4 weeks. They rarely work straight away. This is because your child needs to get used to waking up and responding to it.

It's a good idea to encourage your child to practise setting off the alarm before they go to sleep so they know what to expect.

Explain to your child what needs to happen when the alarm goes off e.g. get out of bed, go to the bathroom, change their pants/pyjamas and strip the bottom sheet.

You may choose to sleep in the same room at first, so you are near in the night when it goes off and whilst your child is learning what they need to do.

How will we know it it's working?

At first, your child may empty their bladder before they respond to the alarm. Over time, they will learn to stop the flow of urine when the alarm sounds.

Progress might just be smaller wet patches at first. Try to keep going until you've had 14 dry nights in a row and then you can stop.

If there's been no progress after 12 weeks, stop the treatment and have a break for a few months before trying again.

It can take 2 - 3 months on average for a child to be consistently dry at night. Some children will take longer.

More tips for using an alarm

Reward your child for drinking well during the day and for helping change wet bedding rather than for keeping their bed dry (this is beyond their conscious control).

Avoid only rewarding nights when they don't wet the bed.

Clean the sensor every morning to prolong its life. Replacement sensors can be bought from our shop.

If your child wets more than once a night, you will need to re-attach the alarm to clean underwear after each wetting episode. As your child makes progress, the nightly wetting episodes will decrease.

Even if your child is sure they will no longer wet the bed, encourage them to continue to wear the alarm until they have had 14 dry nights in a row.

Children occasionally have another accident after they appear to be able to stay dry through the night. If this happens, use the alarm again until they have achieved another 14 dry nights.

Stopping using the alarm before your child is fully dry at night can lead to a relapse.

Bedwetting medication

If a bedwetting alarm doesn't help or isn't suitable for your child, treatment with medicines is usually recommended.

Your doctor may suggest a medicine called Desmopressin. Given an hour before sleep, it works by 'topping up' the body's levels of the hormone vasopressin and tells the kidneys to produce less wee at night. It can be taken regularly or just for nights away.

Get more information on using desmopressin as a treatment for bedwetting.

If desmopressin or a bedwetting alarm (or a combination of both) doesn't help, your child may be referred to a specialist, who may recommend other medicines.

Managing bedwetting day to day

Wetting at night is not as big a problem if you can find ways to manage it. Here are some things to try:

Before your child sees a health professional, encourage them to get into good bladder and bowel habits: Make sure they poo regularly (at least 4 times a week) and treat any underlying constipation.

Assess and treat daytime bladder problems first (wetting accidents or urgency for example).

Drink plenty during the day: 6 - 8 glasses of water-based fluid is best. Only have a small drink before going to bed if necessary and ideally stop drinking an hour before bedtime.

Make sure your child fully empties their bladder before they go to sleep.

Move them to the bottom bunk from the top if they share a room. Have a night light and bucket to help if they wake in the night for a wee.

If they wear a pull up at night, have a trial of a few days without one on. Make sure your child understands what they need to do in the night and their bed is well protected. A waterproof under sheet makes changing the bed much easier and saves washing the lower sheets.

Reward your child for drinking well during the day and for helping change wet bedding rather than for keeping their bed dry, which is beyond their conscious control.

Think positively; they can try repeating the phrase "I can be dry!" as they get into bed.

Tips for nights away from home

Bedwetting shouldn't stop your child from joining in with camps and sleepovers.

Here are some tips for a stress free night away:

Reassure your child that wetting the bed is common and the chances are they won't be the only one on the trip who has wetting accidents.

Be prepared. There are lots of products that can help such as pads, pull-ups, sheet covers, special underwear and sleeping bag liners.

Desmopressin can be taken for a one off trip, but your child would need to try it beforehand to work out the right dose and make sure it helps them to be dry.

If your child is taking a sleeping bag they could hide a pull-up or pad at the bottom.

If their underwear or pyjamas are also inside the sleeping bag, they can get dressed for bed in private.

Bedwetting and younger children

There isn't a fixed rule about when to stop using nappies at night as every child is different. If your child can stay dry during a nap, or for 2 or more hours during the day they may be capable of staying dry overnight.

Helping your child master daytime potty training will have taught them many of the skills they need to stay dry at night.

Here are some tips to promote night time dryness in under 5s:

Make sure your child is drinking enough in the day and try to avoid large amounts of fluids at bedtime.

Stop drinks an hour before bedtime OR plan to help them use a potty at night (e.g. if your child is breastfeeding at night).

Help them get into a routine of using the potty or toilet before they go to sleep.

Protect the bed with a waterproof sheet and try putting them to bed without a nappy to see how they manage.

Expect some accidents and understand that these are a very important part of the learning process.

Some children may need to use a potty at night, so make sure you have a potty in their room if possible and a gentle light by the bed.

If your child wakes up at night, help them to use the potty or toilet.

Bedwetting and teenagers

It's common for older children to deny their bedwetting and not want to talk about it with you. Hiding wet sheets can be a way of coping with the embarrassment they feel. It's happening outside their conscious control, and they may secretly worry about it.

There are ways to support your child to manage their wetting such as keeping a diary of wet versus dry nights to see if they can spot a pattern.

If treatments aren't working, ask your doctor or nurse to make a referral for your child to be seen by a specialist.

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Bedwetting - reasons and how to stop it - ERIC

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Information to help work out why your child is bedwetting and how to stop night-time accidents including information about alarms and medication.

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ERIC support for families with children starting school.

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Get ready for school

Is your child starting school soon? A new school means new loos - but it doesn't have to be scary. Hop aboard the Toilet Train with us this summer to receive helpful advice from the wee and poo experts here at ERIC - The Children's Bowel & Bladder Charity, and get your child prepared for toileting at school.

Sign up here to join our Toilet Train Summer Challenge and receive helpful, easy-to-follow information to get your children toilet ready for school.

Hop aboard the Toilet Train! Sign up below.

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All aboard the Toilet Train: Get ready for school - ERIC

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Is your child starting school soon? A new school means new loos - but it doesn't have to be scary. Hop aboard the Toilet Train with us this summer to receive

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The ERIC website has a wide range of information and advice around toileting training, learning bottom wiping and toilet anxiety.

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The ERIC website has a wide range of information and advice around toileting training, learning bottom wiping and toilet anxiety.

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Wee holding is a habit that your child is likely to grow out of with time, but is something that can and should be treated before having an effect on your child’s bladder health.

There's information about how to help with this on the ERIC website, including:

What is wee withholding?

Why is your child holding their bladder?

Wee withholding cycle

How to stop wee withholding

Can wee withholding cause long term bladder damage?

For information on what may be causing your child's wee accidents and what to do about it, visit the Wee withholding page on the website

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Holding on to wee is something young children can get into the habit of doing especially when they're potty training.

It's not as common as ' poo holding', but can still be a worry if your child avoids emptying their bladder for long periods. The good news is it's very unlikely to do any long term damage to their bladder.

Find out more about why children sometimes hold their bladders and how you can help them to stop avoiding the toilet.

What is wee withholding?

Children's bladders work best when they are fully emptied on a regular basis. Normal bladder emptying (also known as 'voiding') is around every 2/2.5 hours hours in school aged children.

Babies and younger children often pass urine more frequently whilst their bladder is growing and they are potty training.

Some children hold their pee for long periods and overstretch their bladders. Other children get into the habit of an 'abnormal voiding pattern'. They find it hard to relax their muscles when they do sit on the toilet and this affects their ability to wee normally. The different parts of their urinary tract system stop working together as they should.

Why is you child holding their bladder?

Reasons for wee withholding include:

Constipation and having an overloaded bowel can squash a child's bladder and stop it from being able to fill and empty properly. Check if your child may be struggling with constipation and find out how to treat it.

If your child withholds their poo, they may start to hold their wee too. By sitting on the toilet for a wee, they are more likely to feel the urge for a poo, or some stool could force its' way out. By avoiding sitting at all they are still in control.

Being away from the comfort of home and family when starting nursery, school or another childcare setting. As the periods of time become longer, the holding can become more of an issue. A child may hold on all day at nursery for example and only do a wee when they get home.

If your child has had a urinary tract infection (UTI), they may associate the pain they had with weeing, so avoid passing urine even after any infection has been treated.

Pain and discomfort when passing a wee can also be felt if your child isn't drinking enough. Their urine can become strong and may sting, so they avoid doing a wee.

Being denied access to the toilet at school. Get more help with this on our school toilets information page.

Wee withholding cycle

Just like when children hold on to their poo, avoiding doing a wee can lead to other problems and so the cycle goes on.

Holding is likely to overstretch the bladder, it also makes the child more likely to develop a urinary tract infection. The more concentrated and painful their wee is to pass, the more a child tries to avoid weeing all together.

How to stop wee withholding:

The pattern of wee withholding can be changed back into a normal one by encouraging your child to wee at regular intervals and fully empty their bladder.

Get more information and help with this in our advice for children's daytime bladder problems.

If your child has been unable to wee for some hours and is getting uncomfortable, seek medical help urgently.

Other ways to help your child:

If their problem began due to poo holding/constipation and is still a problem for your child, this needs to be treated first.

Look at that toilet environment, have a conversation your the child about the toilets.

Having a wee is easier when you are relaxed rather than tense. Help your child to relax on the toilet, make it more comfortable with their feet supported on a stool. Try having music playing, reading a story together or singing a song.

When we blow, whilst sitting comfortably on the toilet, it helps us to empty our bladder and bowel. Blowing a windmill, instrument or even feathers on cotton lengths may help them start to wee and with emptying. There are lots of ideas in our blog about relaxing on the toilet.

If your child is more sensitive to things like smell, touch, sound or visual inputs, there's lots of information in our Toileting and Sensory Needs resource.

Some children find having a wee whilst in the bath is easier, this is a great temporary solution, but obviously will not be possible away from the home.

Some children have difficulty starting a wee. It may help to use a bladder stimulator - a vibrating device they can hold over the full bladder whilst sitting comfortably on the toilet. Hesitancy should be assessed by a Health Care Professional first.

Can wee withholding cause long term bladder damage?

Wee holding is a habit that the child is likely to grow out of with time, but is something that can and should be treated before having a effect on your child's bladder health.

Holding is likely to overstretch the bladder, it also makes the child more likely to endure a urinary tract infection and also it can lead to kidney damage due to the back pressure.

Please be reassured however, that if this issue does not continue for too long, it won't have a long term effect.

Further help

If you have any concerns about your child's bladder health, please book an appointment with a doctor or nurse.

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Holding on to wee is something young children can get into the habit of doing especially when they're potty training. It's not as common as ' poo holding', but can still be a worry if your child avoids emptying their bladder for long periods.

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Will your child only poo in a nappy? PODCAST

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Will your child only poo in a nappy? PODCAST

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Will your child only poo in a nappy?

Do they have a fear of using the toilet?

You're not alone, this is a common problem faced by many families.

In this episode of our podcast series, ERIC talk about:

Why does it happen?

What can parents do to break the habit?

Check for constipation

What are they drinking during the day?

How to tackle the behavioural side of the issue

Tiny steps approach

Routine and rewards

Fear of the bathroom

Outside of the home, nursery and school

Agree a plan with nursery or school

Listen to the Children that will only poo in a nappy podcast.

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Good toilet habits - encourage your child to go to the toilet regularly (every 3-4 hours) and not to rush. Use the toilet in a comfortable position, sometimes a small step might be needed. Keeping clean - make sure to wash hands after using the toilet and remind girls to wipe from front to back. Help your child with hygiene if they need it.

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Good toilet habits - encourage your child to go to the toilet regularly (every 3-4 hours) and not to rush. Use the toilet in a comfortable position, sometimes a small step might be needed. Keeping clean - make sure to wash hands after using the toilet and remind girls to wipe from front to back. Help your child with hygiene if they need it.

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How washing hands is a brilliant chance to introduce new words to your child while they learn about the importance of good hand hygiene and germs.

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Advice on supporting boys with aim.

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All mothers and carers of boys will understand the importance of teaching your child to aim properly. This is an important skill both from a social acceptance perspective as well as from a hygiene point of view!

It is important to reinforce this skill from the start. Try to encourage good habits, so if your child is watching Dad empty his bladder remind Dad not to make this a play opportunity.

Hints and tips

It is possible to purchase toilet training stickers for boys that are designed to stick inside the toilet bowl. This provides a visual target for them to aim at.

If you don't like the idea of having a sticker permanently on display, try using a single 'Cheerio' or other puffed breakfast cereal of a reasonable size. Place this in the bowl to act as a target, as this will flush away when he is finished.

Make sure he directs his penis downwards, particularly first thing in the morning!

Remember if your child isn't tall, his legs may be too short to enable him to aim in a downward direction. In this case use a step.

Encourage your child to take responsibility from the start so if there are any near misses or little dribbles get him to wipe them up with toilet paper.

The only fool proof method is to make him sit on the toilet to urinate.

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Toileting, aiming for boys - Children and Family Health Devon

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All mothers and carers of boys will understand the importance of teaching your child to aim properly. This is an important skill both from a social acceptance perspective as well as from a hygiene point of view! It is important to reinforce this skill from the start.

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Tips and information around issues and advice around toileting.

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Is your child reliably clean and dry in the daytime? If the answer to that is no, don't panic! Maybe you've been trying but things haven't been going well...

There can be reasons why children struggle to get their wees and poos in the potty or toilet. Help is at hand below.

If you haven't starting potty training yet, look at our information on how to potty train.

Children with additional needs may need extra time and effort with toilet training. We have information and support on tailoring toilet training to support your child's individual needs and capabilities.

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Concerned about how your child will manage using toilets when they start school? Find out how to prepare your child and get support from school with toileting problems.

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School readiness: Preparing your child for using the toilet on their own

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Using the toilet independently before starting school is an important skill that will help your child to make this transition comfortably. We have some great tips in our video to help you help your child go to the toilet with confidence.

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* If your child is dressed in simple clothing with elasticated waistband trousers, they are easier to get on and off when they go to the toilet.

* Summer can be a great time for toilet training as your child will likely be wearing fewer clothes and they will be easier to wash.

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If your child is dressed in simple clothing with elasticated waistband trousers, they are easier to get on and off when they go to the toilet. * Summer can be a great time for toilet training as your child will likely be wearing fewer clothes and they will be easier to wash.

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Advice about bladders bowels and toileting for children with additional needs

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Advice about bladders bowels and toileting for children with additional needs

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Poo withholding can lead to constipation, which can cause lots of problems.

If you're worried your child might be withholding poo at home or school, there's lots of information about to help with this on the ERIC website,

including:

What is stool withholding?

Why is your child holding poo?

Signs that your child is poo holding

What can happen when children hold their poo?

How to stop stool withholding.

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Stool withholding: why & how to stop a child holding poo - ERIC

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Find out the reasons why poo withholding happens and how to help your child overcome this stressful cycle of behaviour.

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Hi I'm Charlie, your virtual assistant. I will explain how to use this online noticeboard (Padlet). 

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Hi I'm Charlie, your virtual assistant. I will explain how to use this online noticeboard (Padlet). 

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Please use the column headings to find the information you need

Then scroll down the column to see the information

Click on the links to view the information

To find other headings please scroll right

If you are using a mobile you can click on the 3 dots on this post and choose start slide show. This makes it easier to look through the information on a smaller screen.

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Potty training children with additional needs

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Potty training children with additional needs

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Try to stay calm and do not put pressure on yourself or your child. Potty training is a process, not a one - off event. Don't set hard deadlines which might be unachievable, for example, stopping using nappies by a fixed date in the calendar.

It's fine to only do what feels manageable for you both. It's all part of the learning process.

If it feels like you are having more accidents and stress rather than making progress, then take a break. There may be times when it is more difficult for you to help your child use a potty or the toilet, for example if they are unwell or if they refuse to cooperate.

Make sure it's a good time for you as well as your child. It's best to avoid doing it at a time when there are any big changes to your child's or family's routine, such as moving house, starting at a new education or care setting, or the birth of a new baby.

But you don't need to abandon potty or toilet practice altogether. Pause from focusing on removing the nappies until your child is feeling better or motivated. Continue to practise routines and reinforce the skills your child may have already learned such as sitting on the potty or toilet, undressing themselves and washing their hands.

Go back to first principles and use ERIC's bowel and bladder assessment form again to see how often they are doing their wees and poos.

Keep on giving your child encouragement and praise for the effort they are making, not just the result.

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Potty training children with additional needs

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ERIC, the children's bladder and bowel charity, discuss various tips and tricks to aid with potty training young children with SEND, including speech delay and autism.

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Potty training advice: Your questions answered

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Potty training advice: Your questions answered

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Potty training is something that all parents go through as their children grow, develop and prepare for life without nappies.
It can be difficult however, and lots of our followers on Instagram had burning questions about where to start, what to do and how to help their child in the process.

We've gathered together some of the most frequently asked questions and put them to ERIC, the children's bowel and bladder charity, who have provided some tips and suggestions.

It's important to remember all children are different and the age at which they are capable of mastering potty skills is unique to them. However, most potty training skills can be learned before you stop using nappies, which can be one of the last steps in the process.

Thinking about it this way means that you don't need to wait until your child is 'ready' and able to do everything on their own before they can start learning toileting skills. You also don't need to wait until they tell you they no longer want to wear nappies (you could be waiting quite some time!).

Helping your child learn as they go along, according to what they are capable of at each stage of development, gives them a gentle learning process towards stopping using nappies. It can help to think of it being a skill like learning to walk or talk - the more practice and help your child gets the easier it will be.

Here are some tips to help you start:

Research shows it is better for your child's bladder and bowel health to potty train earlier, with the best time to stop using nappies being between 18-30 months. Most children will be able to take the lead in many parts of the potty training process from around 18 months old and will be doing most things by themselves when they start school

By starting the learning process before 18 months, it means that when you decide to stop using nappies or pull-ups, your child will already have some skills they need to make the move to pants and potty easier for them and less stressful for you both.

You can introduce the potty as soon as children can safely sit up on their own. Good times to try sitting on the potty include shortly after they wake up, after mealtimes, and any time it looks like your child needs to wee or poo. You can use nappies most of the time but then take them off to use a potty when the child is likely to go

As your child grows, you can help them to learn words or signs for the potty, how to push their pants down and pull them up again, using toilet paper, handwashing and hand drying

There may be times when it is more difficult for you to help your child use a potty, for example if they are unwell or if they refuse to cooperate. At these times, it's important not to put pressure on yourself or your child and only do what feels manageable for you both

ERIC suggest a 3 step approach to potty training, beginning with preparation to use the potty, moving on to practising using a potty, before eventually stopping using nappies as they gain confidence.

Stopping wearing nappies and learning how to use the potty independently is a big milestone for your child. There are lots of new skills for them to learn with your help.

Spending time preparing your child in advance of taking their nappy away is the best way to help them move on to the next step. Just like when they learn to talk, walk and feed themselves, the best way to help your child get the hang of potty training is to give them lots of practice, support and encouragement. You are the best teacher they can learn from!

Here are some tips to help get your child ready for potty training:

Try to change nappies or pull-ups as soon as they are wet or soiled. This teaches your child that it is normal to be clean and dry

Once your child can stand, do nappy or pull-up changes standing up and involve them in cleaning up and flushing poo down the toilet. This will teach your child where wee and poo goes

Leave your child's nappy or pull-up off for up to 30 minutes after your child has had a wee or poo. This will help them get used to not wearing it without having an accident

Having regular, short periods without wearing a nappy or pull-up can help prepare your child for how it will feel when they stop using them completely

If you use disposable nappies or pull-ups, you can add a washable, reusable cloth flannel into it so that it feels wet when your child wees. This is because disposables instantly wick away the moisture, making it harder for your child to feel when they have done a wee. Make sure to remove the cloth as soon as it gets wet to avoid nappy rash

Here's the equipment ERIC suggest you have ready for potty training:

A potty (more than one ideally). Choose one that is low to the ground so your child can use it independently. You don't need to spend a lot of money on anything fancy... it has to do one job well: catch wee and poo!

Some children may prefer to go straight to using the toilet, in which case it is best if they use a children's toilet seat and a step stool. This will help them to feel secure and relaxed. Having feet firmly on the floor or a stool is the ideal position for fully emptying the bladder and bowel

A travel potty can be really helpful for when you and your child go out

Reusable cloth potty training pants can be handy if you are travelling or when your child is at nursery. These are like underwear but with an absorbent layer to help soak up accidents which can be washed and used again

When children get upset and resist potty training it's usually because they want more control in the process. It can also happen if we prompt them too often. They can get fed up and switch off when they hear: "Do you need a wee?" all the time.

The good news is that resistance isn't a sign that they aren't ready to learn potty skills.

Here are some tips to cope with this stage:

Try to give your child the opportunity to do things for themselves as much as possible

Avoid asking if they need a wee or poo. Take time to learn your child's habits, signals and timings and base your toilet trips on these

Have some toys or books next to the potty to help them sit and hold their interest

Encourage and praise their efforts, not just end results

Using play can help teach your child what you expect as well as motivate them. You can use stories, characters and toys to explain to your child what they need to do and teach them how to do it.

You could try:

Having a favourite doll or toy pretend to use the potty

Showing them how you use the toilet too

Using books and pictures to show how things work

Adding stickers to their potty to make it their own

Having some toys or books that they only look at when they're on the potty or toilet

Giving your child plenty of encouragement and praising all their efforts. When your child does use the potty or manages to stay dry for any period of time, telling them how pleased you are

Trying to give your child the opportunity to do things for themselves as far as possible

Avoiding asking if they need a wee or poo. Instead taking time to learn your child's habits, signals and timings

It's really common for children to get scared and start holding on to their poo when they begin potty training.

Poo or wee holding is usually caused by fear and anxiety around the process. Sometimes this is caused by the sudden change from nappies to no nappies. Many children benefit from smaller steps in the process. This might mean, for example, starting by helping them learn that wee and poo go in the bathroom and allowing them to use a nappy when they do a wee and poo, then gradually reducing dependence on the nappy over a few weeks.

If your child gets very upset without a nappy or pull-up on, or starts to avoid doing a wee or poo, it could also be a sign that your child is constipated. Often, children who are constipated hold off from doing a poo to avoid pain caused by passing a hard or large poo.

Withholding poo can quickly lead children to get constipated. For some, constipation is the reason they hold on to poo in the first place and it can become a vicious circle. The more nervous they are around pooing in the potty or toilet, the harder it is for them to relax and the more constipated they become.

If you think your child could be constipated, it's really important to book an appointment with your GP who can prescribe laxatives to help soften their poo if needed. It's really important to make sure any underlying constipation is treated before you stop using nappies or pull-ups.

Here are some tips for a child who has toileting anxiety or constipation:

Help your child to poo and wee regularly in a place they feel comfortable. This may mean allowing them to return to using nappies.

You don't have to stop potty training altogether as you can still help them learn where wee and poo goes as well as skills such as good communication and hygiene

Once they are pooing comfortably again, it will be easier to gradually move them away from their nappy

Make sure they are drinking plenty to keep their poo soft and encourage their bladder to fill

Consider having a basket of toys of other soothing items the child can look at while weeing or pooing to help relax them and build positive associations

Praise them for all the effort they are putting in, not just the end result. That could even be telling you they've done a poo in their nappy

If your child gets very upset without a nappy or pull-up on, or starts to avoid doing a wee or poo, it could be a sign that your child is constipated.

It's really important to make sure any underlying constipation is treated first before you stop using nappies or pull-ups. This will make the potty training process much easier for them.

It may come as a surprise that constipation is a common cause of many potty training problems. It's an issue that affects 1 in 3 children as they grow up, particularly toddlers around the potty training stage.

The signs of constipation can be easy to miss particularly in younger children. They include pooing fewer than four times a week, passing hard, large poos or frequently passing lots of soft and/or runny poo. Behaviours such as refusing to sit on the potty or toilet, holding on to poo and having wee and poo accidents are also signs of constipation.

Constipation needs to be treated as a priority before resuming potty training as it's not something that will go away on its own. If you think your child may be constipated, then you should speak to your GP.

There isn't a fixed rule about when to stop using nappies at night as every child is different. If your child can stay dry during a nap, or for 2 or more hours during the day, they may be capable of staying dry overnight. Helping your child master daytime potty training will have taught them many of the skills they need to stay dry at night.

Being dry at night is not dependent on age or hormones, it is more about practice and developing good habits.

Here are some tips to help with night time dryness:

Make sure your child is drinking enough in the day and try to avoid large amounts of fluids at bedtime. You could try avoiding drinks an hour before bedtime

Help them get into a routine of using the potty or toilet before they go to sleep. Protect the bed with a waterproof sheet and try putting them to bed without a nappy to see how they manage

Expect some accidents and understand that these are a very important part of the learning process

Some children may need to use a potty at night, so make sure you have a potty in their room if possible and a gentle light by the bed

If your child wakes up at night, help them to use the potty or toilet

If your child is not dry at night by the age of 5, ask your GP or health visitor for guidance.

ERIC have more information about bedwetting in children aged 5 and over.

Some children take to using a potty quickly, others take more time. This is a new skill for your child and having accidents is all part of the learning process.

It's not uncommon for children to regress even after being clean and dry for a while, particularly if their routine changes and they start nursery, for example. These sorts of issues usually settle down as your child gets used to using the potty or toilet.

If problems don't stop however, it is important to make sure your child does not have an underlying problem or an emotional or developmental reason for struggling.

If you are getting stuck, or are concerned about your child, talk to your health visitor or GP for guidance on the best way to help them overcome the problem.

Here are some of the more common challenges that parents potty training may face:

Refusing to use the potty

Not sitting for long enough

Not seeming to notice or care that they have had an accident

Potty anxiety or fear

Avoiding doing a poo

Appearing to forget potty skills (regression)

Returning to wetting/soiling themselves

Still using nappies by the time they start school

It may come as a surprise that constipation is a common cause of many of the problems listed - so it's worth speaking to your GP if you think your child may be constipated.

Almost all children can learn to be clean and dry. Children with an additional need or a disability may take a little longer and need more support, but the process is essentially the same.

It may feel daunting but it's important not to put off potty training for too long. The longer a child wears a nappy, the harder it may be to introduce a new place for them to wee and poo. It can help to break it down into stages and tailor your approach on their abilities.

Many children with autism find a sudden change in routine or habit difficult. Therefore, the more you can do you stop using nappies the better, as this will make this transition as gentle as possible for them.

Here are some things to consider:

Non-verbal and neurodivergent children can't always communicate their thoughts and feelings. This means you can't rely on their signals to tell you when they're ready to potty train. You may need to take more responsibility for knowing how often your child goes for a wee or poo and use this to help direct them. ERIC's bladder and bowel assessment chart may help with this.

Your child may take longer to learn, so consider your expectations and don't rush the learning. You may find it helpful to focus on one stage at a time, e.g teaching them that poo goes down the toilet by flushing it away together. The more consistent you are with your words and actions, the easier it will be for your child to learn

It's important that your child feels relaxed, comfortable and secure about using the toilet or potty. Make sure the space is accessible to your child

If you start potty training on the toilet, use a footstool to help your child feel confident and safe. This will also help your child get into the best position for doing wees and poos, with their feet supported and knees above their hips

Help your child learn the physical skills needed by breaking them down into smaller steps and allowing your child to do the last step independently. For example, help them push their trousers down most of the way, then have them push the last bit down themselves

Encourage independence as soon as you see it developing, phasing out support once your child shows understanding

Use stories, visual charts, props and games to teach your child what to do and how to do it. Make your own learning aid by taking photos of your bathroom, drawing pictures of the steps and creating visual routine reminders. A standard routine could be:

Give your child plenty of positive encouragement and praise for the efforts they are making, not just the end result. This can help to keep them motivated and willing to move to the next step

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Potty training advice: Your questions answered

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ERIC, the children's bowel and bladder charity, answer commonly asked questions about potty training, including when to start potty training, what to do when your child won't poo and more.

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Potty training: How communication is key to success

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Potty training: How communication is key to success

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Advice and tips on getting ready to use the toilet from the BBC's Tiny Happy People

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There are lots of practical tips and tricks to help you get your little one out of nappies and into pants - and good communication is key, says Alina Lynden, Communications Manager at ERIC, The Children's Bowel & Bladder Charity.

"We tend to assume potty training will go naturally because it's a bodily function, but it takes time and can be stressful. Communication is very important at all stages; things can go wrong, so it's a good idea to make it as relaxed and as fun as possible."

The first thing to remember is that every child is different, adds Alina. "They learn to walk and talk at different times and learn how to use the toilet at different times too. However, most children are ready to be potty trained between 18 months and 3 years old."

1. Start chatting about wee and poo early (even if you feel uncomfortable)

It's never too early to start talking to your children about wee and poo, says Alina. "You might feel squeamish but they need to know that it's a natural thing that we all do, so starting building it into your everyday chats, particularly when you're nappy changing."

And be positive. "This starts with avoiding any phrases like dirty and smelly because you don't want your child to associate the toilet with anything negative. Say 'oh look you've done a poo' rather than 'yuck, your nappy is stinky'."

If they have a younger sibling, maybe they can help with their nappy changes .

2. Prepare your child

Help your child feel comfortable with the idea of their bodily functions and the potty too, says Alina. "Read picture books about potty training together and have a potty in the house you can use for role play with teddies."

Remember that young children learn by watching and copying, which means you may have to leave any inhibitions at the toilet door. "Show them you do wees and poos too: leave the toilet door open and ask family members to do the same," says Alina. "Keep nappies in the toilet and change your child in there, so they associate wees and poos with that room. And when they're a little older, get them involved with changing their nappies: change them standing up, get them to help with their clothing and clean your hands together afterwards."

And plan a reward system early on, adds Alina. "It could be a sticker chart or lucky dip bag that celebrates every little step towards potty training, like getting dressed or washing their hands."

3. Watch for signs they're ready

"If you've already talked to your child about wee and poo then they should feel comfortable with the subject, and in tune with the signals," says Alina.

"Physical signs include your child passing soft poo at around the same time every day, being able to hold their wee for about 90 minutes to two hours and being able to sit down on the potty and get back up again," explains Alina.

And showing an awareness that they've done a wee or poo. "When they start to notice, it means they're beginning to recognise the signals their body is giving them," explains Alina. Try the kitchen roll trick to help them understand the difference between being wet and dry. "This is where you put a sheet of folded-up kitchen roll in their nappy, which lets your child experience a wet feeling. They don't get this with super-absorbent nappies, plus it gives you a chance to see how long they can stay dry for," explains Alina.

Bringing poo and wee into normal family conversation can help them to understand their body. "For example, prime pooing time for the body is 20 to 30 minutes after a meal. So, after they've had lunch say something like: 'Let's go and sit on the potty and see if there's a poo there.'"

4. ... but make sure you're ready too

Potty training needs to happen at a time that's good for you too. But when's a good time? "Basically, when you can devote lots of time and effort to it," says Alina. "If you're moving house or there's a new baby on the way, it's probably not ideal."

"It's tough because parents have very busy lives. But the more pressure there is, the less likely it's going to go well because the key thing about releasing wee and poo is that you need to feel relaxed. And if you're feeling stressed-out and angry, it's not the best environment for your child."

5. Talk openly with other adults in your life

Consistency and routine are key, so it's really important that all the adults in your little one's life are on the same page, says Alina.

"Once you've decided that it's the right time, then talk to everyone who your child spends time with and let them know where you're up to with potty training. Whether your child spends time with your in-laws, they've started at nursery or they stay with their dad at weekends, everyone needs to give your child a consistent message."

Get them onboard with your reward chart, ask them to use the same words like wee or pee and follow the same routine. "The other benefit of chatting to all these people is that they can support you too: there will be times you need to call in help," adds Alina.

6. Be positive

"It's not something you can do overnight and there will be accidents but it's really important to remember - through all the ups and downs - that once you've done it, it's amazing," says Alina.

When there's poo squished into the carpet, you're unlikely to feel particularly upbeat. "Try not to make a fuss about these incidents. Be prepared for them and remember that the whole thing about accidents is that this is how kids learn."

To keep your child motivated, praise every achievement and use humour. "Kids naturally find poo and wee funny, so tap into that to lighten the mood," says Alina. "Children love animals, so you could talk about their toilet habits. Singing and games around potty training are also a great idea. It'll help your children feel calmer and laughing also helps us physically by engaging the muscles we need to push a poo out."

7. Tailor your approach

"Children with a disability or additional needs can't always communicate their thoughts and feelings, so you might not be able to rely on their signals to tell you when they're ready to potty train," explains Alina. "The vast majority of children can be toilet trained; it just might take a bit longer sometimes. The important thing is to support potty training with the signs, sounds or words that your child can use and understand and let their bladder and bowel readiness lead the way. Use ERIC's bladder/bowel assessment chart to help."

8. Plan well for night-time training

Staying positive is key once again. Do some preparation together and watch for signs of readiness, says Alina. "They might wake up dry or have a lighter nappy. They might also ask not to wear a bedtime nappy or take it off during the night. Or wake you up in the night to ask to help them go to the loo."

Keep chatting openly. "Explain to them what they'll need to do in the night once they're no longer wearing a nappy. Try simple things like placing a potty in their bedroom and encourage them to practise getting from their bed to it. Putting a gentle night light by the bed will make it easier for them to find their way. And be ready for accidents: have fresh pyjamas and bedding ready."

If you are worried about night-time wetting, check out our advice from an early year's educator on when to speak to your GP .

9. Ignore the myths... and pressures

There are lots of myths around potty training that are best ignored. "A common one is that boys are harder to potty train than girls. It comes up a lot but there's no evidence to show it's true," says Alina.

And try not to feel pressured by other parents' potty-training boasts. "Focus on your child and remember that you know them better than anyone else."
Visit Eric more tips and resources on potty training.

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Potty training: How communication is key to success

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What is potty training? When should your start? How do you do it? We spoke to ERIC, the Children's Bowel and Bladder Charity to get their top tips on helping your toddler with potty training.

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Advice from the NHS for children bed wetting issues.

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Find out what you can do about bedwetting, what could be causing it and when to get medical help.

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Nap times

Once your child has stopped using nappies in the daytime, it's time to think about nap times.

Learning to sleep without a nappy on at naptime and use the potty when they wake up, will help prepare your child for being dry at night.

Tips for managing nappy-free nap times:

Just before nap time, help your child use the potty or toilet, so they are more likely to stay dry.

When you notice the nappy is staying dry at least some of the time, stop using a nappy at nap time.

Accidents are common during the first few months. Use a waterproof sheet or similar underneath your child, to protect their sleep area.

Lots of children need to use the potty when they wake so help them to do this.

Using praise and rewards to motivate your child

Research shows that rewards such as sweets or sticker charts may help your child initially, but they can stop working quickly.

For most children, encouraging and supporting them to be as independent as possible is the best way to motivate them.

Tips for keeping your child motivated:

Give your child plenty of encouragement and praise their efforts. When your child uses the potty or manages to stay dry, even if it's just for a short time, tell them how pleased you are.

Try to stay calm when accidents happen and do not make a big fuss.

Give your child the opportunity to do things for themselves as far as possible. This will help them to feel in control, positive and relaxed about the process.

Use favourite toys, books or songs to help them feel comfortable on the potty.

Try to avoid prompting or asking your child too often. Instead, wait until you think they need to go and then direct them gently, e.g. "it's toilet time" or "let's get that wee/poo in the potty!"

Be clear, confident and consistent so your child knows what you are asking them to do.

Managing potty training accidents

It is normal to have lots of accidents at the beginning and they are an important part of the learning process. This is a big step for your child, so be patient and encourage them.

Tips for managing accidents:

When your child has an accident, clean it up together and remind them to use the potty next time.

Do not shame or punish your child about accidents, as stress and upset can make it harder for you and your child to learn together.

It's important not to pretend an accident hasn't happened. Help them get clean and dry as soon as possible and involve your child in this process. Gently explain that you want them to use the potty next time.

Potty training out and about

When you first stop using nappies, choose a time when you can stay home with your child for a few days, so you can do some one to one learning with them.

Tips to make your first trips out easier to manage:

Don't forget your potty and spares of everything just in case!

Make trips out short to begin with.

Dress your child in clothes that are easy for them to push down and pull up again.

Avoid putting your child back in a pull up or nappy for outings. This will confuse them and undo all that learning.

A travel potty and washable car seat cover can come in handy.

Using the toilet away from home is a good thing for your child to get used to. Talk to them about things like how the flush at the supermarket is different from the one at home or nursery for example.

We have an excellent range of products to help with this stage including portable potties and car seat covers.

Potty training at nursery & pre-school

Many children spend part of their day being looked after by someone other than you and away from home.

For potty training to go well, your child needs a consistent approach to help them learn what they need to do whether they're at home or in childcare.

As soon as your child starts attending the setting, communicate about their bladder and bowel health. Ask the staff to tell you about the child's poos, so you can keep track and avoid constipation.

Find out what they are offered to drink to you can supplement appropriately at the beginning and end of the session. If the setting will only offer water, and your child is reluctant to consume enough water, talk to staff. Offer to supply juice or squash for them to dilute; it is vital for your child to stay well hydrated when they are away from home.

Start conversations about potty practice as soon as your child can sit up. Settings may regard potty training as something to attempt when the child is older; share this information so they too can see the benefits of potty practice.

When you are thinking about stopping using nappies, plan with the staff. Agree dates together with your child's caregivers so everyone is ready to support them. Time what you are doing at home to fit in with the setting.

Avoid starting to wear pants when the child is about to change rooms at nursery - that will be a big enough upheaval for them.

Tell the staff about the language you use at home for wee and poo.

Talk to the staff at the beginning and end of each session so everyone knows how things are going both at the setting and back at home. Use our potty training record so staff can keep track of their progress.

More information and free resources for childcare settings to support potty learning.
Getting dry at night

The age at which children become dry at night varies hugely. For some, it follows on quite quickly after achieving daytime dryness. For others, the wetting carries on after the age of 5 and treatment will be advised.

It is not your child's fault if they wet during sleep.

There are however lots of things you can do to gradually work towards night time dryness including:

Help your child get into the habit of using the potty or toilet at bedtime.

As well as making sure they are drinking plenty during the daytime, work on a good bedtime drinking routine as well. STOP drinks one hour before bedtime, every night, and no more after that till morning. Our Wee Checker has information on how much children should drink for their age.

Prepare your child for sleep. Unwind with a book or listen to music with the lights turned low. NO screens - so no TV, iPad, computer games in the hour before sleep, or the brain will get the wrong message!

Avoid lifting - in other words waking your child to take them to the toilet - if you want to work on stopping bedwetting. It might keep the bed dry, but it encourages the child to wee during sleep as they don't really wake up.

If your child is still wetting the bed when they are 5, see our Advice for Children with Night Time Wetting factsheet for more information and help.

Common potty training problems

Taking your time leading your child through the preparation and practice stages should help to avoid the most common potty training problems.

If you feel as though it's all gone wrong and they're just not getting it, it's ok to stop, go back to the preparation stage and start again.

Could they be constipated?

Constipation affects 1 in 3 children and is especially common in under 5s. Your child may be struggling because they have some underlying constipation that was there before you started potty training.

So stop, treat the constipation and then try stopping the nappies again once it is all under control. Carry on with potty practice - this in itself is an important part of constipation treatment.
Are they drinking enough?
Sometime the bladder misbehaves and we realise that our child is simply not drinking enough.

Once again, you don't have to go right back to the beginning, but go back to the potty practice stage while you increase your child's fluid intake.

Try not to panic if it seems as if they just aren't getting it. Some children take longer to learn, and just need more time.

Reassure your child that their wees and poos will learn to go in the potty, they just need more practice!

Get more information and help with common potty training problems.

FAQs

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Potty training: how to start & best age to potty train - ERIC

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We've broken down potty training into 3 easy steps: preparation, practice and perfecting those skills! Use our step by step guide to help your toddler become toilet trained.

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Teaching your child to use the toilet correctly can be a difficult task, whether they are on the autism spectrum or not. But if your child is autistic, the process of developing a toilet routine can take longer, and involve its own particular challenges. This guide provides some useful steps that will hopefully make your toilet training a success.

When to start

Choose a time when you have few engagements and are feeling relatively stress free. Some indicators of a good time to start are:

if your child has begun to become aware of needing to go to the toilet

if you notice changes in their behaviour patterns, such as appearing distracted or fidgeting when they are wet or have soiled

if they let you know when they need changing

if you have observed that your child is aware that they have started/finished weeing or pooing

if your child has shown an interest in using or used the toilet themselves without being prompted

if your child can avoid having a wee or poo accident for one or two hours at a time (ie has improved bladder/bowel control).

Developing a toileting routine

Remember that independent toileting is the ultimate aim and may take many months but there will be many small steps and successes along the way. As well as physical factors associated with toilet training, there are social factors to consider. It is rare for an autistic child to have the social motivation to want to be like mummy/daddy/friend and use the toilet. After using nappies for a number of years, your child might not see the point in starting to use the toilet. It's important to remember that all children are different and they will not all respond to the same teaching techniques.

Children on the autism spectrum often like routine. You can build upon this desire for predictability to develop a successful toilet training routine.

When changing your child's nappy, do this where the toilet is so they can start relating toileting activities to the bathroom.

Your child may behave differently than normal when their routine is changed so let everyone who cares for them know why there could be a change in behaviour. It is often easier not to use a potty as part of toilet training to avoid a possibly difficult change from potty to toilet.

Ensure everyone working with your child starts toilet training at the same time and follows your agreed approach. Send in any equipment to nursery/school which you use at home, for example a toilet seat they may use to make the seat smaller. Also remember to send spare clothes, plastic bags to put any wet clothes in and wet wipes. It is important that you have clear lines of communication during this time so having a home/school book to share concerns and successes is vital.

Observe your child over a few days to see when they do a wee or a poo. Identifying a regular pattern can help you take your child to the toilet with an increased likelihood of them doing a wee or poo. This then leads to positive reinforcement.

Continue to take your child at set times based on your observations. If they wet themselves at another time, take them to the toilet as quickly as possible and try to get them there so some of the wee goes into the toilet. Ignore the wetting and positively reinforce that the wee has gone into the toilet and continue the rest of the toileting routine.

Use a visual sequence beside the toilet to help your child understand what is expected of them, for example: trousers down, pants down, sit on the toilet, wee/poo in the toilet, wipe (you may need to show how many squares of paper to take), pants up, trousers up, flush toilet, wash hands. The sequence can either be in the form of photographs, pictures or the written word - whatever is most suitable and motivating for your child. You may need to create a way of removing or covering over each symbol as the step is completed to show that it is finished and to move on to the next step. There are some examples of visual supports on the Do2Learn website.

Make sure any pictures or instructions are very clear so there is no misunderstanding. For example, if you are teaching your son to stand and wee in the toilet, show an outline drawing of him standing and weeing in the toilet. If you are teaching sitting, show a picture of him sitting and weeing in the toilet.

Show your child a photo or drawing of the toilet and say 'your child's name, toilet', take them into the toilet, follow your visual sequence for undressing and sit your child on the toilet. Even if they do not open their bowel or bladder, continue to follow the visual sequence as if they had.

Use a laminated visual sequence above the sink at eye level for hand washing.

Teach toileting as a whole routine from communicating the need to go to the toilet, using the toilet, to drying hands, rather than just sitting on the toilet.

Keep the sequence of behaviours the same every time. Often when an activity is anticipated, the child is more receptive to it.

Concentrate on tackling one behaviour at a time; it's very difficult to change two behaviours at once.

Decide whether or not and how to praise your child for successfully following the toileting routine. Some children enjoy and respond to social praise ('well done', or a tickle), others respond better to an object. Some children find praise difficult and keeping a calm, structured routine with a preferred activity after toileting may work better.

Dressing and undressing

Dress your child in comfortable clothes they can easily manage themselves such as elasticated waistbands on trousers and skirts or dresses that are not too long.

Motivate your child to wear underwear by buying pants with their favourite cartoon or television programme characters on them.

Use 'backward chaining' to teach new skills. This involves breaking a skill down into smaller steps, teaching the last stage of the sequence first. So if you were teaching your child to pull up his trousers, you would pull them up to his hips and then he would pull them up to his waist. Next time, you would pull them up to just under his hips and he would pull them over his hips and waist. This is a particularly good way of teaching new skills as it raises your child's self-esteem as they have taken the final step of the task themselves to complete the sequence.

Hand washing

Follow the same steps each time: sleeves up, tap on, wet hands, squirt soap, rub hands together, rinse hands, turn off tap, shake hands, dry hands.

Stand behind your child and physically prompt them if necessary, slowly withdrawing.

Avoid using verbal prompts as your child can become dependent on these without you realising. Instead let your child refer to a visual sequence as a reminder.

You may wish to teach your child to use the cold tap only. Beware that if you teach them to use the hot tap independently at home, when they go into other settings and wash their hands, the water may be too hot and could burn them.

Boys - sit or stand?

When deciding whether to teach a boy to sit or stand to urinate, ask yourself the following questions:

Can they distinguish between when they want to wee and poo?

Do they have the co-ordination, focus and control needed to aim?

If they learn by imitation, is there someone they can watch?

If the answer to any of the above is 'yes', then they are probably able to be taught to stand to urinate. To start teaching them to aim, it can be useful to put a piece of cereal (preferably one they don't eat as this could lead to confusion) down the toilet so they have something to aim for and concentrate on. You can also purchase a variety of fun toilet target stickers online.

Bowel control

Bowel control is usually learnt after bladder control. Some children can find bowel movements very frightening and not understand what is happening. It can help to get a book with pictures to explain the digestion process.

Some children find the feel of a full nappy comforting, and may enjoy the sensory feeling of the weight of the nappy. Find alternative ways to replace these feelings so you can continue toilet training. Give your child a means of requesting the activity eg being wrapped in a warm, heavy blanket and fit it into their routine.

Sit your child on the toilet, keep the nappy on but with a hole cut in the bottom, slowly cut away the nappy each time until they are able to go without the nappy at all. To start with, they will still have the feeling of a security around their waist which in turn will enable them to feel relaxed enough to poo on the toilet.

Habit training

Some children are toilet trained through habit. Habit training is effective for children who may: lack awareness, not understand the significance or meaning related to physical sensations, be limited by decreased or absent physical sensations or have unsuccessfully tried toilet training before.

Habit training involves training the body to go at set times. Take your child to the toilet at set times throughout the day, every day.

As before, observe your child to discover the best times to take them to the toilet.

Make sure your child feels relaxed enough to open their bladder/bowels while they sit on the toilet. Having the tap running in the background can help enable your child to wee for example.

Sometimes having a toy to handle - not one which causes excitement - can be useful to both keep your child on the toilet and relax them. Keep certain toys/books for just when they are sitting on the toilet.

If your child lacks awareness or sensation, they may have to be taught a strategy before getting off the toilet, to avoid accidentally weeing on the floor. Encourage them to slowly count to ten out loud when they have finished weeing before allowing them to get up, or give them a sand timer to look at.

To help your child to independently manage their own toileting routine when they are older, you can buy watches which you can set to vibrate at certain times throughout the day. You can then teach your child when the watch vibrates, they are to go to the toilet.

Environment

Ensure the bathroom is a calm, relaxing environment to encourage independence and success with the complete toileting routine.

Remove all distractions which are not associated with toileting to help your child understand what is expected of them while in the toilet.

Make the bathroom as comfortable as possible, adding foot supports, side rails and a smaller toilet seat if necessary.

Encourage independence by ensuring that everything in the bathroom is at the right level for your child eg soap and towels.

Think about your child's sensory needs and make changes to reduce their anxiety. Does the soap smell too strong for them? Does the noise of the extractor fan bother them? Does the water temperature need to be adjusted? Is the lighting too bright?

Make sure your child can sit comfortably on the toilet with hips and knees flexed at a 90 degree angle and have feet flat on a secure object.

Night-time

Once your child is mostly dry during the day you will be able to start night-time toilet training.

Have a set bedtime routine which does not change with weekends or holidays.

Limit the amount your child eats and drinks before bed, having no fluid an hour before bedtime, but ensuring your child has enough fluid throughout the day.

Take your child to the toilet before they go to bed. They then may need to be taken once during the night. You could fit this in with your routine by taking them before you go to bed.

If they are unable to keep dry during the night, you may need to try different times in the night to take them.

Use products to protect bedding.

Schools and early years settings

Admission to school should not be refused simply because a child has difficulties with continence. A school that does this may be at risk of disability discrimination (alternative legislation operates in Northern Ireland).

Further tips

Giving a drink 10 to 15 minutes before toileting can help increase the chances of your child successfully doing a wee on the toilet but avoid giving too much as this creates an unnatural routine.

Decide if you are going to teach your child to shut the door as part of the whole toileting routine or only in certain situations.

Avoid using childlike terms for toileting as your child may find it difficult to change language later in life.

If your child has a fear of flushing the toilet, you may wish to remove this from the visual sequence and leave it until the end of the routine - after your child has dried their hands. They then may need to stand in the doorway while you flush the toilet and gradually stand closer each time until they are able to flush for themselves. Playing calming music to drown out the noise of the flush or explaining with pictures what makes the noise when the toilet is flushed may also help.

When your child is in a car, ensure they have a protector to sit on to stop the car seat from being soiled by accidents. Avoid drinks before long car journeys.

Be aware that some children will hold onto their wee/poo until they have their nappy put on, for example if they know they always have a nappy on before going in the car they may wait until it is put back to release their bowel/bladder.

A range of absorbent pants and swimwear for older children is available.

Once your child is toilet trained at home, you will want to teach them to use toilets when out. When visiting new places, show your child where the toilets are and use the same routine as you do at home. Use the same picture and toy or book they may have for toileting at home.

Some children smear their poo. Read our guide on smearing for strategies to try (link to new guide in behaviour section).

Further information

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Toileting - a guide for parents and carers

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This guide provides some useful steps to help make toilet training an autistic child a success.

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Watch together the story of Princess Polly and her toileting journey.

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Princess Polly's Potty | Potty Training Video For Toddlers | Story Time

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Watch together the story of Pirate Pete and his toileting journey.

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Pirate Pete's Potty | Potty Training Video For Toddlers | Story Time

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Welcome To Isle Of Wight Family Centres : Isle Of Wight Family Centres

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Information on supporting children with additional needs and toileting.

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Almost all children can learn to be clean and dry. Children with special needs including delayed development and physical disabilities may take a little longer and need more support. However, the process you need to follow is the same.

This can feel like a big challenge, but it's important not to put off potty training for too long. The longer your child wears a nappy, the harder it may be to introduce a new place for them to wee and poo.

There's information and tips on this page to support children with additional needs and sensory issues.

How to potty train your child with additional needs?

We recommend breaking potty training into stages and tailor your approach on their abilities.

Our 3 step Let's Go Potty approach has been developed to suit all children and abilities. This includes children with autism, ADHD, developmental delay, cerebral palsy and Down Syndrome.

Potty training with autism

There is no evidence that suggests autism causes delayed potty training. However, autistic children may be more likely to struggle to learn potty training skills due to sensory problems or learning disabilities.

They may also be more likely to suffer from constipation. If your child is autistic, research suggests that starting learning in infancy and avoiding constipation is the best way to avoid problems in the future. Get more information about supporting autistic children who have constipation.

One of the hardest things for many autistic children to cope with is a sudden change in routine or habit. This is why the more you can do before you stop using nappies the better, to help make this transition as gentle as possible for them.

Our Let's Go Potty approach has been designed to help your child make this transition whatever their needs are.

Potty training and delayed speech

Non-verbal and neurodivergent children can't always communicate their thoughts and feelings. This means you can't rely on their signals to tell you when they're ready to potty train.

You may need to take more responsibility for knowing how often your child goes for a wee or poo and using this to help direct them.

Here's what we recommend doing to help your child learn this skill:

Complete a bladder/bowel assessment chart so you can see how often they are doing a wee or poo. (Make sure any underlying constipation is treated.)

Base your potty or toilet routine based on this information. Take them at set times according to what the chart tells you.

If they wet themselves at another time, take them to the toilet as quickly as possible and try to get them there so some of the wee goes into the toilet. Ignore the wetting and positively reinforce that the wee has gone into the toilet and continue the rest of the toileting routine.

Use verbal and visual clues. Introduce simple books on the subject consistently using the signs, sounds or words that your child can use. Reinforce verbal clues with a visual clue - use photos, drawings, pictures, images and social stories when preparing them to use the potty. Using these images to create visual schedules will make it easy for your child to follow the new routine and make it more predictable.

Using sign language for common toileting words and phrases can also reinforce learning.

Potty training children with Down syndrome

We are delighted to be partnering with Down Syndrome UK and Positive about Down syndrome to share their fantastic #Pants4school Step by Step Programme. Enabling children with Down Syndrome to be toilet ready for school and reach their full potential.

Download the programme today! (opens in new browser).

Tips for children with additional needs

Your child may take longer to learn each stage, so consider your expectations and don't rush the learning.

Focus on one stage at a time. For example, teach them that poo goes down the toilet by flushing it away together.

Be as consistent as possible. The more consistent you are, the easier it will be for your child to learn.

It's important that your child feels relaxed, comfortable and secure about using the toilet or potty. Make sure the space is accessible to your child. An Occupational Therapist (OT) can help with practical adaptations.

Think about your child's sensory needs and how these relate to using the bathroom. Adjusting the sensory input can make a difference for many children to help them to learn toileting skills.

If you start with the toilet you should use a footstool to help your child feel confident and safe. This will also help your child get into the best position for doing wees and poos, with their feet supported and knees above hips.

Help your child learn the physical skills needed by breaking them down into smaller steps and allowing your child to do the last step independently. For example, help them push their trousers down most of the way, then have them push the last bit down themselves. Same when pulling them up again.

Encourage independence as soon as you see it developing, phasing out support once your child shows competence.

Use stories, visual charts, props and games to teach your child what to do and how to do it. Make your own learning aid by taking photos of your bathroom, drawing pictures of the steps, or by searching on the Internet for visual routines. A standard routine could be: 1.Undress 2. Underwear down 3. Sit 4. Do wee/poo, 5. Wipe, 6. Pull up underwear, 7. Pull up trousers/dress, 8. Flush toilet, 9. Wash hands.

Give your child positive encouragement and praise for the efforts they are making, not just the result. This can help to keep them motivated and willing to move to the next step.

FAQs

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Potty training children with additional needs - ERIC

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Information on potty training for children with additional needs and sensory issues including delayed development, ASD and physical disabilities who may take a little longer to become toilet trained.

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Your toddler is busy growing! Our resources offer guidance and support on healthy lifestyles, sleeping patterns, trying new foods, playing and behaviour.

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Range of information to help with children's bowels and bladder conditions and potty training.

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Clinically approved information and resources about children’s bowel and bladder conditions and potty training. Our information is reviewed by our Professional Advisory Committee (PAC), a group of experts working in the field of children’s bowel and bladder health and is in line with guidance issued by NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).

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Advice about constipation and children.

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Constipation is common in childhood, particularly when children are being potty trained at around 2 to 3 years old.

Symptoms of constipation in children

Your child may be constipated if:

they have done less than 3 poos in the last week

their poo is large and hard

their poo looks like "rabbit droppings" or little pellets

they are straining or in pain when they poo

they have some bleeding during or after having a poo, because their poo is large and hard

they have a poor appetite or stomach pain that improves after they poo

If your child is over 1 year old, soiled pants can be another sign of constipation, as runny poo (diarrhoea) may leak out around the hard, constipated poo. This is called overflow soiling.

Causes of constipation in children

Constipation in children has many possible causes. Sometimes there's no obvious reason.

Some of the possible causes include:

not eating enough high-fibre foods like fruit and veg

not drinking enough fluids

feeling pressured or being regularly interrupted while potty (or toilet) training

feeling worried or anxious about something - such as moving house, the arrival of a new baby, or starting nursery or school

If your child is constipated they may find it painful to poo, which may mean they do not want to try to poo. This can create a vicious circle; the more they hold back, the more constipated they get.

How to treat your child's constipation

If you think your child may be constipated, take them to a GP. The treatment for constipation depends on your child's age.

The longer your child is constipated, the more difficult it can be for them to get back to normal, so make sure you get help early.

Laxatives are often recommended for children who are eating solid foods, alongside diet and lifestyle changes.

It may take several months for the treatments to work, but keep trying until they do. Remember that laxative treatment may make your child's overflow soiling worse before it gets better.

Once your child's constipation has been dealt with, it's important to stop it coming back. A GP may advise that your child keeps taking laxatives for a while to make sure their poo stays soft enough to push out regularly.

Treating constipation with soiling (children pooing their pants)

Getting constipated and soiling their clothes is not something your child is doing on purpose, so there's no reason to get cross with them.

You may both find the situation stressful, but staying calm and relaxed is the best attitude to help your child deal with the problem.

A health visitor or GP can offer helpful tips.

Read about soiling (children pooing their pants).

How to prevent constipation

Make sure your child has plenty to drink - offer breastfed babies who are not eating solids yet plenty of breastfeeds. Formula-fed babies can have extra drinks of water between their formula feeds. This must be cooled boiled water for babies under 6 months. See more advice on drinks for babies and young children.

Give your child a variety of foods, including plenty of fruit and vegetables, which are a good source of fibre. See what to feed young children.

Encourage your child to be physically active. For more information, read the physical activity guidelines for children aged under 5 years.

Get your child into a routine of regularly sitting on the potty or toilet, after meals or before bed, and praise them whether or not they poo. This is particularly important for potty-trained boys, who may forget about pooing once they are weeing standing up.

Make sure your child can rest their feet flat on the floor or a step when they're using the potty or toilet, to get them in a good position for pooing.

Ask if they feel worried about using the potty or toilet - some children do not want to poo in certain situations, such as at nursery or school.

Stay calm and reassuring, so that your child does not see going to the toilet as a stressful situation - you want your child to see pooing as a normal part of life, not something to be ashamed of.

If you'd like advice about taking the stress out of going to the toilet for your child, speak to a health visitor.
Find out more advice for children with constipation on ERIC, The Children's Bowel and Bladder Charity website

More information and support

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Find out the symptoms of constipation in children, what you can do to help your child if they're constipated and how you can prevent constipation.

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Read about urinary tract infections (UTIs) in children including symptoms, treatment, causes and how to prevent them