Potty Train a Child with Global Delay Development

I first wrote a blog post about our unsuccessful potty training and I have been reading and searching out ways on how I can possibly train up my daughter before she started to go to school. Unfortunately, even last year, her first regular school wasn't a success for potty training and she was already 6. I wasn't disappointed but I still found a perfect timing and still learned her delays one at a time. 

I've learned so much during the last potty training we had. A child may or may not be able to successfully finish her potty training period not because of normal age but because of her developmental maturity or age. I know some 7 year old children who are still wetting the bed and I also know some 2 years of age who are already graduate of their potty training. So it really doesn't matter if they are too young, what matters is of course if they are really ready to do it more so without bribing. 

On our first attempt, she was holding herself to pee or poop because she was in trauma. She was constipated the first time she used a toilet. She was too afraid. Another thing, the toilet bowl is too big for her that even if I used a toilet seat for kids, it just sways and not keeping in place which added to her scare of using a toilet. She can't recognize her pee and poop signal on her body. Even though I already recognized her when she was about to poop, it is really a must that she knows it herself before we can really start a successful potty training. She can't say "I am going to pee or poop" not even knows how to communicate at all aside from tapping me at my hand but most of the time she was pre occuppied with other things. 

Today, Isobelle is 7 years old and we got conversations going and she can understand me whenever I explain things to her. My mommy instinct told me that this is the right time to start her potty training again and since we are just staying at home for a long time, this is the best way to do the 3 days potty training. 

Here are some keys or clues that I also thought at first before I began our potty training again this time. 

1. Knows the feeling of wet and full diapers that she insists on changing her nappy. 

2. Knows how to say "potty now" for pee and "poo poo" if she is going to poop. 

3. She has a sensitive period on potty training songs, washing hands and doing all self care by herself.

4. She can comfortably sit on the toilet bowl alone without my help. 

5. She can pee by herself when she wakes up, before bath and before bedtime. 

6. She can wash herself and knows her private part. 

7. She can remove her panty and shorts before she goes to the potty. 

8. She knows her cue and body signals. 

9. She knows that accidents may happen but its okay. 

10. She knows how to use the flush and wash her hands after. 

Pro-tip: For a couple of months when she started to do her night time or bedtime routine, part of it is using the toilet bowl before washing her body. And in the morning, after throwing her soiled nappy, she needs to use the toilet too. Then we started off with poop first. Since she has regular poop that she has it everyday most of the time, and I already know her cues, I grab the opportunity to sit her down at the toilet bowl before she poops on her nappy. And for a week, it works for her and then I introduce her to pee on the toilet too. I also grab her sensitive period of telling me that she is a big girl now and she can do things for herself. So I told her that a big girl doesn't wear diapers anymore. Don't get me wrong, we tried it for a couple of months and she was really consistent with her answer that she needs her diaper and not her panty so I just waited for the right time. Also, whenever her classmate on online classes asked for permission to pee, I also talked about it to her. And she firmly believes she is not yet ready until yesterday. She decided to give it a try finally. Hallelujah! 

Day 1 | January 25 

Potty success all day and I remind her every 15-20 minutes and tag her along the comfort room. From little to more pee and always reminding her about her sit down, flush and wash. 

Day 2 | January 26

Potty with 2 accidents. She woke up with a poop already on her nappy and she had a pee accident. I constantly remind her asking her if she wants to potty now or not and she responds either a yes or no. I assisted her with pulling up her underwear once done. 

Day 3 | January 27 

We hit the goal of doing it all by herself. I just remind her to "don't forget to potty" but also tell her that accidents are okay so that she won't get sorry for having an accident the other day. Fulfilling a day of no wet panties and discovering her body language is something more than our goal for the 3 day potty training success. 

Day 4 to present is more of her work but she tells me when she needs to potty sometimes and sometimes not. She was getting the hang of it. And we have been potty training for almost a month now. It was a huge success for us both. I never thought we could do it this fast! No giving treats, not even reading a potty book for her while she sits at the loo!

I firmly believe that potty training is something not about age but developmental readiness. We can sense it already if they are into it or not by just watching their cues and also if they can really understand what is happening. Looking forward to our bedtime potty training.