| There comes a time in every parents life when | | | | potty or toilet. |
| Potty Training becomes a hot topic. It is also a | | | | - Information that indicates diaper dependence |
| subject that can stir emotions and a process that | | | | can be detrimental to a child's health. |
| can drag on far too long. Many parents believe | | | | What information is there, you might ask, that |
| that the child will let them know when he or she | | | | indicates diaper dependence can be detrimental to |
| is ready for potting training, as this is what many | | | | a child's health? Compare some statistics. In |
| experts advise. Then they discover that other | | | | developing countries, the majority of children learn |
| child development experts have a very different | | | | to use a potty or toilet by the age of eighteen |
| viewpoint, leaving them feeling lost and confused. | | | | months to two years. Fifty or more years ago |
| Case Study | | | | this was also the case for Western countries, |
| My three-and-a-half-year-old great-niece is highly | | | | while now a large proportion of children are still |
| resistant to parting with her nappies. She refuses | | | | not trained by the age of four. Some believe a |
| to cooperate and throws a tantrum if her parents | | | | major reason for this change may be due to the |
| try to explain to her that she needs to use the | | | | development of disposable nappies or diapers. The |
| potty or toilet. She starts pre-school in February | | | | discomfort children experienced in the old style |
| 2009 and must be potty-trained before then. Her | | | | cotton nappies must have convinced them of the |
| parents know things will have to change | | | | merits of using the toilet. |
| miraculously within the next few months. | | | | There is also a condition called retentive |
| With time running out, they searched the internet | | | | encopresis, believed to be associated with |
| for advice. They read on a forum of mothers | | | | recurring bouts of constipation. It can appear in |
| that the age at which potty training success | | | | toddlers from the age of three to four years and |
| occurs can range from under two to almost five | | | | over. Delayed potty and bowel training has been |
| years old. Then they felt guilty about persisting on | | | | linked to an increased likelihood of a child |
| the subject when the child remains vocally | | | | contracting this relatively rare, but nasty condition. |
| resistant. | | | | Other negative effects of delayed potty training |
| SOME IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER | | | | include the cost of buying disposable nappies, |
| - The emotional effect on the child of being one | | | | unnecessary environmental pollution and, last but |
| of the few, or the only, child in pre-school still | | | | not least, the added stress for parents. It would |
| reliant on, and soiling, her diapers. | | | | seem the only ones benefiting are the companies |
| - The reason the child is resistant to using the | | | | producing the disposable diapers. |