Parents of Preschoolers  Discussion Forum

Hello!
At the outset, let me state that this is NOT a potty training / diet issue. Our 4.5 year old daughter - otherwise a very bright, active and loving child - has of late, a potty-related problem. She was potty trained at around 3 years of age, and has since then, been going to the potty (both for no. 1 and no. 2) without any problems, till a few months back. The problem is that she controls her potty, sometimes up to 2 days or until she has an accident in her underwear. Her diet is absolutely healthy with a lot of digestive fiber (wheatabix / oats for breakfast, chapati and veggies for lunch/dinner, fruits like papaya, etc.). We' ve tried getting her to sit on the pot, mandatorily for 10 min or so, every day, but that hasn' t worked. She controls it anyway, even when she' s sitting on the pot. When asked why she controls, she says its a waste of time and she' d rather be doing something more interesting. As a result of her controlling, natural constipation also sets in, making it more difficult for her to do potty as time passes. We' ve tried the reward method (if you do potty, you' ll get a toy/book, etc.), but haven' t had much success with it. Consulted with a doctor who suggested a course of laxatives - i' m not sure this is the solution, as this is more a behavioural problem than a physical one.
Any suggestions on how to deal with this would be much appreciated. Vijesh replied. Hey PK,

My 3.5 yr old Son has the exact problem.

Do lemme know, if u come across a long term solution

Thanks

Vijesh