Toilet trained toddler suddenly weeing everywhere....

Siemo

Hi, wonder if any of you more experienced parents could give me some advice?

My DS was toilet trained within 3 days back in February when he was 2 yrs 4 months. He took to it very easily, quite happy to do it, and has been (with the exception of the occasional accident here and there) dry during the day for the last 5 months.

Then in the last week he seems to have regressed all of a sudden, with no apparent cause. It started as the odd accident but as the week has gone on it's got worse and today he's now in his 4th change of clothes of the day by lunchtime! He has never done this before, not even in the early days of potty training, and I'm starting to get concerned there might be a problem. I've been sending him to the toilet every hour or so but he's still having accidents in between. Before this week he was able to go 2-3 hours between going, and always told me when he needed to go, rarely needing prompting.

The only (non physical) cause I can think of is that his best friend has just had a new baby sister (we're expecting in September) and it might have made him understand a bit more what it means to have a baby around as we've seen them a lot - so I guess that could be a bit unsettling for him. But he's generally very easy going and is excited about the baby so I think perhaps I'm reading too much into that. Apart from that nothing's really changed at home and he's his usual happy self most of the time.

I suppose it could be a sign of an infection but am I right in thinking this is unusual in boys? He hasn't got any other symptoms and doesn't seem ill at all.

Any advice? Do you think he's just being a bit lazy and not going when he needs to? (although the frequency concerns me a bit) Its too late to get a doctors appt now and anyway I hate running to the doctor about every little concern so don't want to bother them if it's nothing.

Thanks for any advice you can give

Kate78

It sounds like regression as a reaction to the news of the new baby.

Although get GP to check him out just to rule out anything physical.

My cousin (aged 4 at the time) went through a phase of going for a poo outside for a while after her baby brother was born. Nothing physically wrong with her at all.

Nearly drove her poor mum insane while it lasted though

kjmtidea

I would take a urine sample to the doctors and ask them to check it for you, just to rule infection out first.

miss_independent

I think before you take any other action it is important to rule out a urinary tract infection, and as these can spread to other organs I suggest you try an get a dr's appointment asap as UTI's and Kidney Infections can make kids pretty poorly. You may not even have to get an appointment, just call up and ask if you can hand in a specimen (you could take it in a clean bottle) for testing as your child is experiencing frequency/urgency in urine.

mikey72

It's unusal in boys, but yes, he can have cystitis.
Is there any distress when he wees, or doesn't he notice?

Siemo

Thanks for your quick responses

He doesn't seem to be distressed at all, seems to not notice that he's done it and obviously doesn't mind being wet either! I've had a quick look on NHS website for symptoms and he doesn't seem to have any of them (cloudy/smelly urine, pain when passing, fever, pain in tummy or back, generally seeming unwell) apart from the increased frequency, which could be caused I suppose by drinking more in the warm weather.

*Louise*

DD (nearly 3 now)regressed when my sister had a baby in May - she went from being dry to wetting herself a couple of times a day and wanting to go back to the potty instead of the toilet.

It only lasted a couple of weeks though then she went back to before.

I would suggest you let DS run about in pants and t-shirt, to save on clothes changes. If he keeps wetting as often, I would echo the previous posters who said get him checked for a bladder infection.

mikey72

rachelh81 wrote: »

Thanks for your quick responses

He doesn't seem to be distressed at all, seems to not notice that he's done it and obviously doesn't mind being wet either! I've had a quick look on NHS website for symptoms and he doesn't seem to have any of them (cloudy/smelly urine, pain when passing, fever, pain in tummy or back, generally seeming unwell) apart from the increased frequency, which could be caused I suppose by drinking more in the warm weather.

It could have been an infection, that's just started a habit now, so if may pass in a few days hopefully.
I'd still get a sample checked to make sure, as sometimes the other symptoms aren't always present.

mrcow

Do get him checked out to ensure that nothing is wrong.

As for dealing with it, if I were you, I'd be removing all clothes from his bottom half as 4 changes of wee soaked clothes is NOT fair for you to be cleaning.

1. Start from the beginning again at home - with a potty if need be - cancel any plans for a few days . Remove trousers and pants for the whole of day 1 and he wees in the potty. Don't give him any pants or trousers for the whole day.
2. Once he's had a full dry day, then he can have pants to see how he gets on.
3. After a full dry day again with pants, then he can have trousers.

Progress back to the toilet only once you're confident the potty is not needed.

Molly41

I would say that he was quite young to be potty trained (even more so for a boy) and that is no criticism. I agree that he needs to have the pressure taken off him - perhaps go back into nappies or pullups for a few days but still encouraging him to use the toilet. Let him get used to the idea of the baby and then gradually start potty training again. My youngest DS is also very placid and calm and my GP pointed out to me that just because he appears to act that way doent mean that he isnt feeling worried. In my case my DS got a lot of real but unexplained tummy pains that coincided with some difficulties at school. Now on the surface he appeared as sunny as always.

pigpen

mrcow wrote: »

1. Start from the beginning again at home - with a potty if need be - cancel any plans for a few days . Remove trousers and pants for the whole of day 1 and he wees in the potty. Don't give him any pants or trousers for the whole day.
2. Once he's had a full dry day, then he can have pants to see how he gets on.
3. After a full dry day again with pants, then he can have trousers.

In addition.. take him to the loo every 15-30 minutes as well.. It is possible he is not wanting to stop his playing or leave what he is doing and it is too late.

As well as urine infections he could have an infection in his penis which can be very sore but they do not necessarily complain.. mine have had some awful illnesses which have to have caused pain and they rarely complain.

His comprehension of the baby is probably next to nothing regardless of other peoples babies.. My 5 year old is struggling to understand the implications so a 2 year old has no chance..