Helping your child to use the toilet independently
There are a number requirements needed in order for a child to achieve independent toileting.
The child has to be ready physically, that is they can hold their wee or poo.
Have the required motor skills; that is be able to stand, balance and have coordination.
Have an awareness of the need to toilet, and be able to communicate this
need and later act upon it independently.
Success in toileting should be rewarded; punishment for failure should be
avoided.
When starting a toilet training programme think about:
The potty or toilet the child is going to use.
Wearing easy clothing and having everything you need to hand; e.g. Child’s toilet seat (sometimes
called a ring reducer), wipes, step etc.
Make sure they are happy and at ease in the toileting environment.
Be confident about the steps to achieve toilet training for your child.
Make sure the child feels comfortable and trusts those helping them.
Take a slow, gentle approach. Be patient and help children to master the steps at their own pace.
Toilet training should be a gradual process, not all children will develop at the same rate and some may
need more time, support and reassurance at different stages.
Helping Your Child’s Self-Help Skills:
Below are some frequently asked questions about toilet training:
He will not go to the toilet and will only use nappies.
Try wearing nappies over pants and gradually over time cut away or loosen the nappy.
Encourage and reward them for wearing pants only for short periods of time and gradually increase
the time wearing pants.
If they soil their nappy (or pants) be calm but involve them in disposing of the nappy, cleaning their
pants and themselves if appropriate.
She does not recognise the need to go to the toilet or is too late.
Some children’s sense of when then bladder or bowel needs emptying is reduced.
Make sure they have a routine and go regularly to avoid accidents.
Use visuals e.g. A picture of the toilet to help them understand.
Try and talk about how it feels to you when you need to go, e.g. “I feel really full of drinks now and I feel like I need to have a wee.”
