Almost 3 Year Old Is Suddenly Having "Potty" Accidents. Help.

Sounds like she just wants some attention.

So do read to her and have lots of one on one time. But don't give her negative attention for this.

When she has an accident, matter of factly say, we need to practice. Practice consists of putting her in situations where she has accidents. Say to her, "You're playing with Legos and you feel pee coming...what are you going to do?" Cheerfully shout, "Run to the potty!" Go through the motions of quickly pulling pants down, sit on potty, hop up, pull pants up, pretend to wash hands. Do it about 5 times, from different scenerios, "You're reading a book and you feel pee coming...what are you going to do?" "You're outside...." "You're drawing..."

Two of my kids did that. I just said that it was not going to happen again or they would be back in diapers and they quit. I could tell because both of them would be in the bathroom when they went that it was to see how far they could push. So I said NO! and that was it.

has there been any changes in the home, do have pet, sometimes if there is anything that may freighten them, they tend to potty on themself, my daughter was fully potty trained, we decided to get a puppy she stop going the the pot and started to just wet in her clothes until we had to get rid of it. so if anything had changed in your home maybe you need to get rid of it are put it away somewhere out of her sight

I am RIGHT there with you. My 3rd child is 2 1/2, will be 3 in june, and she just started having accidents after being fully potty trained for 3 months. I watched her for a few days and she just didn't want to stop what she was doing. I started paying as much attention to her potty habits as I did when we first started potty-training, reinstituted our 'potty candy'(1 m&m) for succesfull potty times, and she is back on track. It only took a week or so of doing that. I am making sure that I am paying a lot of attention still, as she tends to zone out when she is playing.
It's just a phase, and totally normal for kids to have periods like this. Good luck!

My neice did the same thing when she was 3. Have there been any changes in daily routine? My sister-in-law started baby sitting and her daughter got jealous and started doing this for attention. She also did it when her baby brother was born. If there have been changes this could be why. If not she may just be looking for your attention. That was the problem my neice was having. My sister-in-law just started making sure that they gave her her own special attention and time, for example taking her for ice cream or to the park for special mommy daughter time.

R.,

As a mom of Four great children, I can tell you this is commen (at least for me it was). At about 3 my kids all had set backs. Nothing major, just accidents for a little while. All it was, was that they did not want to take the time, to go potty. They did'nt want to stop playing long enough to go. So for a while I just had to watch closly again, to make sure they where going. But it stops, soon they realize they are not going to miss anything, so they go to the potty.

Hope this helps

P.

R.,
Has anything new happen in your life recently. To where it could make your little girl insecure? And therefore have "accidents". Such as a move? Your schedule change?

Yes, it is normal. Some children revert back to "accidents" for many different reasons. Perhaps she wants extra attention (though I'm sure you give her plenty of it). Does she attend a daycare center? She may be reverting because of influences there if she does attend daycare. There are many reasons, as I said before. To get her back on track, encourage her to use the potty often, and praise her when she does make it to the potty. Make sure you take extra clothes with you wherever you go, because it may take a while to get her back on track. Don't forget to tell her what a big girl she is and how proud you are of her, no matter how long it takes. Hope this helps!

Mom of Four

We went through that & the doctor said it was stress induced...daycare,changes in schedules, etc. The less attention you pay to it the best. If you scold her that just adds to the "stress". Have there been any changes for her? Sometimes they get so preoccupied she just "forgets" until it's too late. When you are going out you might want to put an extra set of clothes in for her...I did that and after she realized accidents happen they stopped.

Hi, I don't want to worry you, but it would be a good idea to get her blood sugar checked. That is the way I found out that my son has diabetes, he was barely 5 years old. Before it is diagnosed, the first two symptoms of diabetes are increased thirst and urination. It wouldn't hurt to get it checked, not for long anyway! I would also try to get it done soon. Medical people probably wouldn't agree, but if you know a diabetic, you can have them check her sugar with a simple finger stick using their machine. Normal blood sugar is between 70 and 120. It is very hard to diagnose in small children, especially if they are in diapers. I hope the problem ends up being something easier than ours was, best wishes, L.

R.-I am a mom of 3 children ages 25, 21, and 14. Has anything drastically changed in your household lately? I have a 4 year old grandson and his dad just left for Kuwait and later will be in Iraq. Our grandson acts up quite a bit and also has accidents that doesn't seem to bother him that he peed his pants, but I think he realizes more than we think he does about his dad being gone for longer than 'a little while'. Our daughter is about 4 1/2 months pregnant with their 2nd child. Our daughter is under stress knowing that she is untimately responsible for her household, which I believe causes a little stress for her son.

Keep encouraging Emma that she is a big girl. I wouldn't worry about it too much. You are a mom....a mom knows if something is genuinely wrong with their child.

Mamasource is new to me...I hope this helps...Good Luck!

My daughter was completely potty trained at age 2 1/2 and she never had accidents, until she turned 3. I have heard that many kids do this. Most of the time it is only because they are busy playing on don't want to stop what they are doing. They also get very confident that they can hold it longer than they really can. I just reminded my daughter that she was a big girl and she needed to go potty as soon as she felt the urge. For about two weeks, I went back to asking her ever so often if she needed to go and she didn't have any more accidents. Now she is independent enough again that I do not need to keep reminding her.

You may want to have her checked out, get your family doctor to send her to a gastroenterologist. My daughters had a problem with BM's, and it's not their fault. I have been told that over 1000 kids have been seen that has this same problem.

Hope this helps.
Y. B

Been out of your sight for any amount of time. Try a children's therapist who specializes in play therapy.

It happens. Sometimes if they are changes they will regress. Changes can be small and not really a big change to us but to them it is. just praise when goes potty,and maybe a reward when goes all day w/no accidents.I work in childcare and see this alot. and have two much older children of my own who did the same thing at that age. Sometimes we get so busy with life they do anything to get our attetion. It will get better

The first thing I would look at is have there been any changes in your daughter's environment. Lots of time children will begin having "accidents" or sleeping problems when something around them is causing stress (good or bad) for them...Does Dad have a new job? Is there a new sibling? A recent move? Change in routines? Excessing fussing between parents? Or anything else changed? My best advice is to just be patient...and not to punish her or be at all negative for the accidents. This too shall pass...
L.

My grandson's doctore said not to worry about complete potty training until 3. Up to that time just praise every time they use the potty and reward with sickers or something. Tell how proud of her when she does go to the potty. Downplay the negativity of accidents. Of course you might want to check if there is something physical, like a blatter infection. Little girls get these easily.

First and foremost...consult your pediatrician. Put any fears or concerns in a professionals hands who know or may have a better idea! It is very common for little kids to have set backs. My dd did this as well..try and be patient. My dd got back on track after a few months. I kept reminding myself that "she is only 3 years old! She is still so new to the world!" IT is so easy to get frustrated and angry about it...but it will get better. But first talk to her doctor and rule out all medical possibilities. Talk to your daycare provider...is there a bully at daycare? YOu just never know! Hang in there and keep us posted!

My daughter did the same thing at that age. She was completely potty trained at the age of 2 1/2. The next year, while she was still in daycare, she had several accidents. I didn't make a big deal out of it. I told her it was ok and perfectly normal. The only reason I could come up with, was that she would get so busy playing, and just ignore her urge to go potty. Then when it hit her full force, she couldn't make it to the bathroom in time. Actually, this happened to her a lot when we were potty training her, but only at daycare. When she was with us, we could usually tell when she needed to go and made her go. I would not make a big deal out of it. It will eventually stop. My daughter also had some BM accidents. The daycare kept an extra pair of underwear and an outfit for everyone, "just in case", so I'm thinking this is pretty normal for kids.

We had the same problem. My daughter was 3 1/2 and started having daily accidents after being dry for 8 months.Our accidents were only wetting accidents and never at night - that's why the doc had such a problem with us! He said that if our accidents occured at night too that he would be more concerned. I can pinpoint the day it started even! Our doctor seemed to think that it was a control issue or she was just too busy to be bothered with using the toilet. We did have an MRI to check for a specific condition (can't remember the name) but it was normal. We tried rewards, scheduled potty trips - we were having 4+ wet panties a day. I tried to hide my frustration, but she knew how much this upset me. It was difficult to go out to eat, the movies, shopping, even the grocery stote without an accident. We were almost ready to put her on medicine to 'dry her up' a little, but opted not to. She started kindergarten this year and she has been dry (except for dribbles) since about October - 3 years after this problem started! The dribbles are still enought to change underwear after school usually.

There is a condition that makes little girls(boys too?) have accidents. I think it has to do with a nerve at the base of her spine that gets 'aggravated' as they grow. From what I rememeber, it can cause uncontollable BMs as well as wetting accidents. Our MRI checked for this condition, but it is rare according to our doctor. This is apparently an easily corrected condition according to our doc.

I'm interested in any answers, too!

A. D