This topic has been creeping into my mind. When do I start to potty train? I trained my two older girls around 2 years and 3 months and was successful. One weekend and really not many accidents that followed. I was pretty lucky. They say girls are easier. Well, something tells me that Mattie won't be that easy.
So I'm wondering whether I should try with her over the summer. She is 2 years and 4 months but let's face it, she doesn't have the communication skills that the older girls had at that age. I really don't know if she will "understand" the concept. I know what all the books say.....dry diapers at night, interest in the potty, yada, yada, yada......I don't think she is there yet. The summer is the best time since I have off to work with her....kind of....when I'm not dragging older kids all over the place. I really don't want this to be a pull my hair out kind of thing. Based on her "adjusted age" that's what I'm calling it....It may be really too soon. What are your thoughts?
Any advice or tips for those that have children with Down syndrome? When did you train or plan to train?
6 comments:
Oh... I know the feeling. I have talked to many other Moms who have children with Down syndrome. If they didn't start early, they wish they would have. The longer you wait, the harder it is to train them. All I've heard is that it takes a lot of time and patience. I will keep checking back on this post to see all the wonderful advice. Good luck!
I think all kids (ds or not) potty train in their own timing. My son was interested at 28 months so we went with it and he was diaper free during the day within days. But, I have had several friends who pushed their kids who weren't ready and ended up with a typical kid still in diapers at 4 1/2.
As with anything it is a learning experience so maybe this summer you introduce it and see if you can peak her interest at all.
Alayna is 20 months and we put her on her potty seat in the morning and before bathtime at night and she always goes, she will even go if I catch her when she is ready to poop. The toilet doesn't freak her out at all, but some kids it does. I don't look at what we are doing as potty training just letting her have the experience of using the toilet and when she is ready she will let us know.
You know her best of all, doesn't hurt to try...maybe it will be successful now or maybe she isn't quite ready yet and you hold off for a few more months and try again.
I totally understand how it would be easier to do it when you are home from work but, if she isn't ready it will be frustrating for both of you.
Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
I say, there is never any harm in trying. You may be surprised! =)Good luck and let us know how it goes!
We've been debating this too. Braska can tell us when she needs to go (most of the time...and if she WANTS to) but she cannot get her pants up and down. She just isn't strong enough. So do we go with training so that we take her each time she tells us, even though she can't do it herself? Or do we just wait and do it later after she's able to dress herself better? It's a tough call. She's barely 23 lbs. It feels funny thinking that she's almost 4!
At this point I'm leaning toward waiting til next summer and doing both girls at the same time. We'll see.
i have been wondering about the same thing. i don't think henry is anywhere near being potty trained.
and rk you brought something up i never even thought of. i wonder if henry would catch on the simply pulling down/up his pants to go potty. hmmmm.
i was told for boys the average age is around 3.5 for potty training. what makes me feel good and not worry about it is that justin has a typical nephew who is almost 4 and just got potty trained.
i know girls are different and usually quicker at it, so i wish you luck and will be waiting to here how it goes.
We didn't start with Kayla until after she was 3. It was a long and gradual process. Just introduced the potty seat first which she really didn't care for (with the lid up) so we kept it down and just let her use it to sit on like a chair first. Once she would sit on it with the lid up and no diaper on we would take her first thing after waking up in the morning and from naps, and right before naps, baths, and bedtime. Most times she would go and then we got in a routine of taking her about every hour and increased it to 2 hrs. Most times it was still us taking her. When we first started out she just didn't care if she was wet or not, but she was starting to be dry during her naps. We still have 'accidents' to this day because she waits too long to say she has to go and I don't know if maybe low muscle tone causes weaker bladder control or what...but we still remind her sometimes if she hasn't been in awhile.
Good luck!
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