Top Tips for Toilet Training

Signs they are ready:

• normally pooing one soft poo a day
• staying dry for at least an hour and a half between wees
• showing interest in the toilet
• they can follow simple instructions
• able to sit comfortably on the potty and get up again with minimal help
• starting to show signs of awareness of when they have a done a wee or a poo
• showing awareness that other family members and peers don't wear nappies, and that they use the toilet

Remember - choose a time when you are both ready to start toilet training.

Top Tips:

• Books and videos - read books and watch programmes together
• Drink plenty - make sure our child is having 6-8 drinks of water based fluid a day to help keep their bowel and bladder health.  Avoid fizzy dinks, drinks with caffeine in them and sufary drinks.  Don't limit their drinks to help them stay dry as it doesn't work.  The bladder needs to be filled and emptied properly to keep it working well.
• Check for constipation - your child should poo at least 4 times a week and the poo should be soft and easy to pass.  If they're passing hard poos or going less often than this, they may be constipated.  Leaking, runny poo can also be a sign of constipation.
• Use easy clothing - clothes that are easy to pull up and down are the best, avoid fiddly zips and buttons.  Choose clothes that are easy to wash and dry.  It can help to practice getting dressed and undressed.  Let your child choose their own pants and practice wearing them to get used to the feeling.
• Pick a potty -  let your child choose a potty if you're going to use one.  Keep it in the bathroom and let them practice sitting on it.  You might want to have more than one potty to begin with.  If you're using a children's toilet seat, let your child choose it and a foot stool to help support them when they're on the loo.
• Get into a routine - don't ask your child if they need a wee or a poo as they might not know what this is to begin with.  Call it 'potty time' or 'toilet time' and go every coupld of hours and 30 minutes after meals.
• Keep it short - don't let them sit for too long on the potty or toilet, two or three minutes is find.  Keep some toys handy to occupy them while they sit.
• Encourage boys to sit down to wee - they might also need a poo and sitting down will help them to go.  They may empty their bladder better sitting down too.
• Be consistent: if your child is looked after by a relative or goes to nursery or a childminder make sure you let them know that you're starting potty training and the way you're planning to do it.  It helps if everyone is doing the same thing and using the same words.
• Give lots of praise - for each little step like sitting on the potty, washing hands, getting dressed.  Rewards are a good incentive - make them small and instant, like a sticker.
• Be patient - potty training is a skill which may take some time to learn, so don't be surprised fi there are lots of accidents to start with.  You might decide your child isn't ready after all, in which case stop potty training and have another go in a few weeks.
• Activities to help:
  • passing a balloon or ball between the legs, around the back and over the head
  • big movement activities like kicking a ball and climbing at the park
  • puzzles, threading and tearing paper
  • blowing bubbles

Where to get help:

• Your GP, Health Visitor, or School Nurse can all support you and let you know who can help
• Family Gateway 03000 133 133 can offer advice and support on a range of information
• www.eric.org.uk ERIC is the national charity dedicated to improving children's bowel and bladder health.  They provide  leaflets, free parent webinars and you can access and follow on social media.
• Speak to your school or setting for support.  They can contact the Continence Outreach Service on the following email addresses.

Cathryn.Giles@cardiff.gov.uk

Louise.Chadwick@cardiff.gov.uk

• You can also contact the School Nurse on 07312 263 178.

Activities to help your child go to the toilet

Here are some easy to do activities to help your child/young person become independent when toileting.

Big movement activities help with balance, the ability to sit down, squat and get up.  Practice any activities and that includes big movements, squatting, and reaching.  Try:

• throwing balls
• climbing
• 'Simon says stand on one foot'
• Hopscotch
• Passing a balloon or ball over your head and through your legs

Activities that reach from one side of the body to the other, help to reach behind and wipe themselves, try:

• putting stickers on the back of their clothes for them to reach and find
• activities like digging sand - put the bucket on one side of the body and the spade on the other
• clapping hands and beating drums
• pass a ball around the back to someone behind

Activities to help to take clothes on and off, undo zips and buttons, pull off toilet paper and wipe, try:

• tearing paper, puzzles and threading
• put chocolate spread or squirty cream on a plate or slightly deflated balloon and wipe it off with toilet roll

Activities that help the body to wee and poo:

• blowing bubbles
• blowing feathers
• sucking and blowing through a straw

Where to get help:

• Your GP, Health Visitor, or School Nurse can all support you and let you know who can help.
• Family Gateway 03000 133 133 can offer advice and support on a range of information
• eric.org.uk ERIC is the national charity dedicated to improving children's bowel and bladder health.  They provide leaflets, free parent webinars and you can access and follow on social media.