3 year old wetting pants .... help?

kit

Hi guys..... I hope some of you can offer some help here.

My 3 year old DD (3 years 4 months) was potty trained just after her 2nd birthday. She was great for a while with no accidents but has slowly become lazy. She wets herself at least once a day... sometimes up to 5 or 6 times.

Sometimes it just a little bit as she is on the way to the loo, sometimes its a bit more and then she realises she needs to go, othertimes its all of it! She gets distracted by playing, tv etc and I'm not sure if she really doesnt know she needs to go or if its just cause she doesnt want to stop what she is doing.... to be honest I think its the latter.

I have threatened to put her back in nappies... and she seems happy with that idea! However I cant really afford to put her back in nappies.... but then again, its costing me sooooo much to keep washing her clothes!

Ideas on what to do??? I have tried praising, telling off, ignoring, leaving her in wet clothes, leaving her naked (she wees on floor instead!).

Jollygiantswife

kit wrote: »

Hi guys..... I hope some of you can offer some help here.

My 3 year old DD (3 years 4 months) was potty trained just after her 2nd birthday. She was great for a while with no accidents but has slowly become lazy. She wets herself at least once a day... sometimes up to 5 or 6 times.

Sometimes it just a little bit as she is on the way to the loo, sometimes its a bit more and then she realises she needs to go, othertimes its all of it! She gets distracted by playing, tv etc and I'm not sure if she really doesnt know she needs to go or if its just cause she doesnt want to stop what she is doing.... to be honest I think its the latter.

I have threatened to put her back in nappies... and she seems happy with that idea! However I cant really afford to put her back in nappies.... but then again, its costing me sooooo much to keep washing her clothes!

Ideas on what to do??? I have tried praising, telling off, ignoring, leaving her in wet clothes, leaving her naked (she wees on floor instead!).

I'm sure you'll find that this is quite common so don't worry! Quite often they become so engrossed in what they're doing that they leave it too late...

It must be tough if it's happening several times a day, but it might be best not to react at all - that way she's not getting any attention for what she's doing. Just be matter-of-fact and suggest she gets cleaned up and fresh clothes (doesn't help with your washing I know...)

Another thing is to keep reminding her to go, ask her frequently if she needs a wee - or ask her to go in the break of programmes "just in case" but don't make a big fuss of it, just act completely normally.

Hope this helps - good luck!

aligerdie

I wouldn't tell her off for doing it, or leave her in her wet clothes.

I agree with the above poster who suggested reminding her to go, maybe if you turn it into a bit of a game, she may go of her own accord more often.

With my dd1, I bought her some 'special' toilet paper which was her own. All it was were wilkinsons own brand kiddies toilet wipes!! Because they were only for her she got excited and felt really important going to the toilet on her own!

I'd definitely go with the praise thing, that worked everytime with my little one.

Hope things get easier soon!

[Deleted User]

My daughter did this, she trained very early and very easily, then about 2 years after she was dry she started wetting for no reason, for over a year I tried every trick in the book, treats, rewards, getting cross, leaving her wet. ( I even posted on this forum). There seemed to be no pattern to when/ how and why she wet iykwim
I kept getting told it was nothing to worry about, it was a stage. Anyway long story short I insisted on her being reffered.

She was diagnosed with irritable bladder basically, a child her age is supposed to hold 140mls of wee before it empties, her on avarage held 50ml. Which was why she was wetting so much. Sometimes just after she'd done a wee.
I was sure she didn't even realise half the time she was weeing till it came out.

I'm not saying for a second this is your daughters problem, it could just be a phase, but bare it in mind because I felt awful when she was diagnosed cos I'd shouted at her, even smacked her bottom for being "lazy".

Just be patient and if it continues tkake her to the docs, it could even be a small infection.

SL x

nickyhutch

Get her checked out with the GP - she may have an infection.

kit

Thaks guys.... will take her to GP to be checked out.
She is not a naughty child generally and this is letting her down and she knows it... she just cant seem to avoid it.
Will keep you updated )

squoog

Sallylizzie wrote: »

She was diagnosed with irritable bladder basically, a child her age is supposed to hold 140mls of wee before it empties, her on avarage held 50ml. Which was why she was wetting so much. Sometimes just after she'd done a wee.
.

SL x

My son is 8.5 yrs and is still in nappies at night because of the same problem. We have only just had the scan and diagnosis. We are going back to see the paediatrician in a few weeks.
Have you overcome the problem now? Did your daughter have medication?
My sons bladder also only holds 50mls so he goes every hour or two in the day and obviously can't do this at night.
I'm hoping that it is possible to help him without using meds.

Titch89

Is this just during the day or is it night time as well? I'd suggest asking her if she needs the toilet. For some children, having accidents after being potty trained (I was stlil wetting myself in secondary school and can't hold it in long) is normal. Just try not to make a big deal out of it.

TeaTree6

My DD potty trained really well, probably helped by the fact that she was at nursery and there were others to copy. On the flip side she went through a spell where she was wetting the bed at night, it turned out that she had worms and once we treated that she was fine again. It might not be that but worth checking.

[Deleted User]

squoog wrote: »

My son is 8.5 yrs and is still in nappies at night because of the same problem. We have only just had the scan and diagnosis. We are going back to see the paediatrician in a few weeks.
Have you overcome the problem now? Did your daughter have medication?
My sons bladder also only holds 50mls so he goes every hour or two in the day and obviously can't do this at night.
I'm hoping that it is possible to help him without using meds.

We have only just had a diagonsis too, in the last 2 months, she is on medication and it's being reviewed every 6 weeks. I have to say it's helped already. She can hold more that she used to (only a little), but now I'm aware it's a medical reason my adttitude has changed.

Before she used to go to the toilet before we left the house 10 mins later.. I need a wee.. so I'd say, but you've just been you can wait, then she'd wet herself, I'd get mad cos I thought she was just being naughty.

Of course now I feel terribley guilty for telling her off, but I can't take it back.

I wasn't given the option of not taking meds althought they've told her come sept when she starts school they're going to give her a vibrating watch that'll remind her to go regular because the school have told me because the medication is not life saving they won't take responsibility of reminding her to take her lunchtime dose.
She's pretty good at remembering but with all the excitement I worry she'll forget, she's only 4 after all.

Anyway, glad you have a diagnosis, if you're like me you'll feel relieved that there is a "reason" for this.

If you don't have medication I'd be interested to hear what they choose to do instead.
Good luck

SL X

onlyroz

My boy is 3-and-a-bit, and he's now pretty much toilet trained although it took a while. My advice would be to just take her to the loo every few hours (even if she protests that she doesn't need to go) and to clean up any accidents without fuss. We did this with my boy and he's now finally starting to ask to go to the toilet.

He's nappy free during the day, but we usually put a pair of pull-ups on him when we go out at the weekend, and he wears a nappy at night - but we're starting to think that he might be ready to go completely nappy-free.