March 15, 2003
Behavior
Question from Herndon, Virginia, USA:
My three and a half year old son, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the tender age of one year, is having problems with potty training. He has wet accidents at home and school. We talk about being a big boy and using the potty, and he will be fine for a few days but then will have accidents. The day care is concerned because most children are fully potty trained by this age and has delayed moving him to the next class because of the accidents so he is now six months older than all the other kids in his class.
Is potty training more difficult for boys with type 1 diabetes? Is this something that I should be concerned about? How should I address this problem?
Answer:
I would not be concerned about a child that is not fully potty trained at age three and a half. Your son’s pediatrician should be able to give you detailed advice about other strategies to help with potty training. Many children that don’t have type 1 diabetes struggle with wet nights for many years past the age of four. Although diabetes that is poorly controlled can contribute to increased wet beds at night, it really has little to do with overall potty training issues in general.
MSB
