I feel its more than time to really buckle down and potty train my 2 year old son. We've been 'playing' around with it for about 4 months now. He knows to go in the 'big boy potty' and does well. He even tells us sometimes. Since he's doing this well, I figure thats my sign to really do the potty training with him and get him out of diapers so I'm not buying 2 sizes! (I have a 3 month old as well)
Heres my question....due to him having highs at night and naptime - these seem to be the common factor - has anyone gone through process before and have any tips they could share? His numbers stay average during the day or the most part, but I find he's higher during and after he sleeps. I just have a feeling we can potty train him all we want but until we figure out his numbers for nap/bedtime, hes just going to have accidents when he sleeps.
If anyone has any tips or has gone through this before and is willing to share what you did/how you got through it, I would love to hear!!
Thanks a bunch
My son ( 3 1/2; T1 since 15 mo.) is just wrapping up potty training. Because he has to potty so much it has been relatively low incident. Just remember that fluids in equals fluids out! So if they are high and drinking more, don't plan any road trips. We still keep a diaper on him at nap times in case a high sneaks up on us. But it is usually dry when we take it off. Nighttime is a guarantee diaper still.
I asked this exact question previously so go through the Juvenation forums to see what the others posted. Good luck! If you can find a mini-urinal, my son had fun standing up to go potty. Just remember to empty the reservoir after each use....
Tim
My son's not diabetic, but we used pull ups at bedtime until he was about 4. He stayed dry about half the time. Then at some point we noticed he'd wake up almost every morning dry and got rid of the pull ups.
I was frustrated that he was so old, but have since learned that it's not statistically unusual. Before a child can be "trained" they have to be physiologically ready. That means their bodies release anitdiuretic hormone and they also wake up when their bladders are full. This article has great info that helped me put it into perspecitve.
en.wikipedia.org/.../Bedwetting
Diabetes definitely makes it more difficult. Usually it's a good idea to limit drinks, but that's not practical for a diabetic kid with a high blood sugar. It dehydrates the body so fast and can allow keytones to build up. On evenings where blood sugar is higher then you might have to wake him up to use the bathroom before you go to bed.
And keep in mind that a lot of parents say their child is potty trained at age 2, but their child still has lots of accidents. I don't consider a child potty trained until you don't have to take an extra set of clothes everywhere you go. =)
Thanks so much! He seems to want to go in the potty, but its like both of you mentioned, it's the fact of him being high. It's also hard (this is me not him!) that I have a 3 month old who requires the normal amounth of attention any baby would. I did notice him wanting to use the bathroom "mama pee" when I was feeding her or rocking her to sleep, so I think one thing I am going to start doing is taking him in BEFORE I pick her up so I know he's gone and is just wanting the attention.
It's exteremly fusterating to me, as I'm sure you know, when I ask other parents for their tips or advice on potty training boys, they say "well just limit his drinks and take him once an hour, before and after meals and then before bed/when he wakes up in the morning"
That'd be great and all IF he didn't have diabetes. I do my very best to treat him like any other 2 year old but this situation is not the same. If he's high, he wants more to drink, which is my sign to check his BG. The one thing that still puzzles me, is after naptime or even some mornings, we check his BG and he'll be low yet he's completely soaked. Because of my 3 month old, I do check him every night around midnight. 4 hours after bedtime and about 5 1/2 before he wakes up. If it's under 150 I normally give him 2 oz of juice just to cover my booty so I know he won't be super low in the morning. If he's over 150, we gage it on what he ate for dinner, what we gave him for insulin after dinner ,ect. Anyways, getting him to wake up and drink the small amount of juice is super hard, so needing and wanting to get him up to go use the bathroom is an extra step I'm not sure if I, personally, can handle!!
I think at this point, I'm going to focus on the day time, with the help of your advice, and once the day seems to be under control, we should have no problem with night. We have tried pullups during nap-especially if I know I'm going to have to wake him up within 2 hours- and they're always drenched.
thanks again guys!! I appreciate it so much and I will definitely look through the forums for the older post you had put up when you began with your son
Every child is different and all any of us can do is handle it one day at a time. I think what you're doing is great, especially considering all the stress you have going on (a diabetic and a 3 mo). My daughter wasn't diabetic either and she had difficulty at naps and night-time until she was 8. During the day she was perfect. At home or school, as long as she was awake she had no problems. After every test and alarm possible, they just determined that physically (because she's tiny) her mind just wasn't ready to make that adjustment yet and once it did, she's had no problems since. She's now 13.
I've noticed that my 10yo son, who was only diagnosed 6 months ago, will have "accidents" whenever his B/S get really high (like now that he's sick), and he obviously has been potty trained for a while, so I can only imagine how stressful it can be trying to train a child who is consistently high. I wish you luck. Maybe he'll surprise you, ours sure did.
Hi Pacheaka,
Its like your singing my song! I have a baby who is now 6mos old and my 3yr old was diagnosed when the baby was only 3 weeks. Its a busy past few months to say the least! My daughter was potty trained shortly after she was 2 and then nite time potty trained right around 3. We used pull ups at night to start and when she was dry each morning for a while we stopped. She was good for about 3 months and then starting wetting the bed.... welcome diabetes. That was in November. Since then she has been back in pull ups at night b/c if she is high, she is wet. Most mornings she wakes up dry now (finally, again) but I never am sure when that high is gonna hit in the night or if she's drank a lot etc... She goes to bed around 7 and I usually wake her to go pee before I go to bed 10-11. (She really doesn't even wake up) During the day its also hit and miss at times. She never had an accident for many many months but lately she dribbles and sometimes its what seems like a full bladder. Diabetes, I am sure is a contributing factor, but even if it makes her have to go often, it still doesn't account for the fact that she can feel the urge to go. She is nearing 4yr old soon and I know now that she has figured out how to "hold" it she waits until she can't make it to the bathroom, or she gets so involved in playing she ignores the sensation. It is sooo frustrating I want to pull my hair out!
I guess, just go for it. Sure you are gonna have some diabetes related challenges, but I am learning that there is only so much that can be blamed on being T1 as well. Do like you said, start with the days, keep him in diapers at naps/bedtime until you think he is good. Daytime should come easier, but be prepared that he may not be night time potty trained for a year or two. Best of luck.