So my twin daughters have been potty trained for a year now. This last week my one daughter has started having accidents every day! She is just peeing in her pants at least 1-2 times a day. She is not asking to go potty or telling me she has to go. She will change herself when she realizes her panties are wet. She will not even tell me. If I ask her, she lies. Why is she back tracking? Any idea??
This happened to one of my kids every time he went through a growth spurt. He would get really upset about it, so I knew it wasn't on purpose.
I would say, "don't ask her". It sounds like she is not doing this for attention, but maybe testing herself (subconsciously, some kids do this-- they play and play and put off using the toilet until... accident), and very aware that she's making a mistake in letting things go for too long. (Which is why she's lying about this.) I'd let her handle taking care of the cleanup and see if this resolves in a few weeks.
If not, or if you see her using the toilet frequently/complaining of a sore 'pee pee' or 'vagina' (many little girls don't know how to differentiate between the urethra and the vagina) -- maybe she has a urinary tract infection. Then, get her to the doctor for antibiotics; they'll need a urine sample in that case, just to identify what sort of bacteria is the problem.
I hope it all works out. Some kids have these little accidents and choose to be independent in changing themselves. My guess is that if you don't bother her too much about it, she'll figure it out. :)
2 1/2 year olds can't "lie" - they don't understand. She DOES understand that if she tell you she had an accident, then you will not be happy with her.
If it's out of the blue.... what has changed? It's either medical or mental... there is NO other reason for potty accidents. If you've ruled out medical, well then she is feeling out of control, upset, whatever.
I would just help her change, have her help you clean up and then say "we'll try next time to potty in the potty". That way she knows that she is in control and that you are not upset with her when she has an accident.
I am just wondering if something else is going on in her little body, the fact that she changes as soon as she wets could mean she is having an infection of some sort and can't control her urine...any fever? any itching? any type of soil on her panties (yellow or thick white)? Maybe it's time for a Ped. checkup?
I agree with the possible UTI. If she doesn't even know she's going, it may be a possibility. It sounds like she's not doing it on purpose.
2 1/2 do lie. Ask one if they pulled the cats tail or took a cookie or broke a vase. The vigorously shake their heads, no.
There's something going on. A child this age (she's 3 1/2, right?) doesn't start peeing every day without a reason. Asking her why is not going to help. She doesn't understand how to explain her stressor.
She DOES know that she's not supposed to wet her pants. And she changes her panties because she knows that she is FAILING YOU.
Talk to the ped about it. Ask for a urine test to be done. If there's nothing wrong with that, then get advice from the ped about how to help her. The last thing you want to do is fuss at her. There is something wrong and she needs you to help her figure it out.
Oh, and don't ask a child if they've done something that they are going to get in trouble for. Lying is different than a 3 1/2 year old saying no. Get the ped to explain that to you, too.
