“Once you start training your little one to control his needs, don’t despair or get discouraged. Be patient, don’t scold him, on the contrary, motivate and encourage him. Each child is different and everyone eventually stops using diapers ”, says Dr. Eduardo Rodríguez, pediatrician at our clinic.

From what age can a child stop the use of diapers?

When they have reached a certain neurological, physical and psychological maturation. This occurs, on average, between 22 and 30 months of age.

How long will it take the child to learn?

There is no exact time for the child to learn, however the average is between 1 and 2 weeks. Every child is different and has their own rate of learning.

Some recommendations to teach our little one to put down the diaper:

• First of all, it will be essential that your little one shows signs of being prepared. That is, if he/she feels uncomfortable when the diaper is wet or dirty, cross his legs, touch his genital area, stay still, or spend more than 2 hours in a dry diaper, and he can easily express his need, etc.
• Create a relaxed atmosphere when teaching, to show the potty or toilet in a natural way and explain what to do.
• Encourage him to sit on the potty or toilet, learn to become familiar with it
• Sit him on the potty or toilet at the same times every day
• Ask him during the day if he feels like urinating or defecating, so he will learn to communicate his need.
• Explain how you relieve yourself in the bathroom and let him be there to learn by imitation.
• When he is able to relieve himself on the potty or toilet, congratulate him on his achievement, you will feel recognized and reinforce his learning.

What could be happening if your little one keeps getting wet during the day?

If your child is 3 years old and still cannot control his bowels during the day, there is a possibility that your child might have organic problems such as infection, urinary tract obstruction, sleep disorder or some psychological conflict, so it is recommended to discuss this with your pediatrician. Only a small group of children delay controlling their bowel until they are 5 years old.

Dr. Eduardo Rodríguez
Pediatrician at Clínica Ricardo Palma