A child may initially take to using a potty with encouragement and then refuse to use it or start to have accidents, which is known as potty training regression. The best advice that can be given to a parent or guardian when potty training is to be patient, it is very unlikely to happen without some accidents along the way. The average child takes around three to six months to train and it is best to deal with accidents with minimal fuss, simply changing soiled clothes and cleaning up. Although it can be frustrating, a parent should avoid getting angry or reprimanding a child for having accidents or refusing to use the potty, they should expect this to happen whilst the child is still learning.

Causes of regression

Regression can very often just be expected as part of the process, however a parent should rule out some common medical conditions that could be contributing. If a child starts to wet themselves frequently this could be due to a urinary tract infection (UTI). When a child is potty training they are more susceptible to UTIs as they have a tendency to hold their urine in as opposed to going when the urge first hits. If they are demonstrating symptoms of urinating more frequently than normal, have foul smelling urine, describe a burning sensation when urinating, or are showing signs of lethargy, pain or fever then a UTI could be suspected and the child should be referred to the pharmacist.

Constipation is a common problem in toddlers and is known to contribute to regression as they may start to avoid the potty so they don't have to push and strain uncomfortably. If the child is anxious about using the potty, sometimes this can cause constipation itself as they start to hold in a bowel movement to avoid using the potty. Treating the constipation will help alleviate this problem and if you suspect a child is constipated they should be referred to the pharmacist.