July 16, 2005
Other
Question from Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA:
My three year old daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes almost a year ago. My husband and I had started potty training her just prior to the diagnosis. To this day, we are having a difficult time getting her to use the potty when she needs to urinate, but not when she has bowel movements. She is still having a lot of accidents, anywhere from three to six a day. She has a lot of accidents at school also. Could this be due to the diabetes?
Her blood sugar levels are monitored at least four times a day and her numbers, in most cases, are within her target range as determined by her endocrinologist, between 100 and 200 mg/dl [5.6 and 11.1 mmol/L]. Have other parents of children with type 1 had a difficult time with potty training? I have searched through this and other web sites for discussions on this topic, but have been unsuccessful.
Answer:
Diabetes can contribute to difficulty in potty training occasionally when it is not adequately controlled resulting in frequent very high blood sugars. However, it is normal for a three year old girl to not necessarily be potty trained. I would continue to work with positive reinforcement and no negative reinforcement strategies for potty training. Your pediatrician will be your best resource in developing a strategy that works for potty training.
MSB
