My daughter, potty trained for 3 years now, recently started having "accidents". She says she pees her pants, but it really like a "leak", not more than a couple of drops. When asked why, she says she just doesn't make it on time. Tonight she was going upstairs and did it on the stairs (mind you we have a bathroom right in the downstairs hallway before the stairs and another bathroom at the top of the stairs). I asked her why she did not go before heading up the stairs. Her answer: "I didn't have to go then!". Why is she doing this?
Edit: She doesn't have pain when she goes, nor ever complains of pain. She used to less than a year ago, but not anymore.
I'd have her tested for a UTI anyway, just to rule it out. Then discuss what the other reasons could be with the DR.
Sounds like she might have a little bladder infection/UTI. They're super easy for little girls to develop. I'd get this checked out.
Here is my suggestion.
I only say this because I'm an adult and even I find myself putting off going pee sometimes thinking I can hold it. I'll just dry the dishes first. I'll just put these clothes away first. I'll just go check the mail and pay a bill online first.
Before I know it, I'm about to wet myself just doing a little of this and a little of that first.
It's not a healthy thing to do.
I'm an adult and I'm even guilty of it.
Since you are blessed with more than one bathroom, whenever you pass one with your daughter, tell her to go. If she says she doesn't have to, have her sit there for a few minutes anyway. She will go.
I myself do this...if I'm in my bedroom putting something away, I go in my bathroom. If I'm upstairs, I sit down to pee. Everytime I pass a bathroom, I go.
She might just think she can really hold it when obviously that strategy isn't working.
Do this emphatically. She may protest, but have her sit there. Talk to her. Let her read something. Let her relax and go. Do it all the time. No walking past one bathroom to get to the other. She knows she's wetting so this can just be a plan to help with it.
If you know for sure she is peeing a lot in the potty and her accidents diminish, problem solved.
If you know for sure she is peeing in the potty constantly and still "leaks", then take her to see a urologist. I had a friend who had to have a little surgery as a kid because one of the muscles in her urethra wasn't strong enough or something. She was in the gifted program at school and everything but she just had no control over her urine, day or night, sleeping or awake. It was a medical thing and was dealt with surgically.
I'm not trying to scare you or anything, but just be on your daughter about going tinkle everytime there is a chance to do so. Holding it is bad for your bladder and can lead to infections.
There is every chance that she just thinks she can keep holding it a little longer or doesn't realize how full her bladder is so definitely try the potty all the time routine and see if that helps at all.
I wish you the best!
She could have an infection you should really ask her doctor about this one I know that there is medication to help stop it. She could be afraid to go by herself or really unable to hold it. Good luck!
Hi S., Did you see my posting on the previous same question? If it is not just forgetting to go because she is doing something else, try having her evaluated by a chiropractor. There are nerves in the lower spine that control bladder function, and if those nerves are pinched, it can affect that. A chiropractor can evaluate her spine and if he finds a subluxation, we can painlessly adjust her, and the problem is resolved! I am a chiropractic assistant. I see it all the time!
Even if it's not a UTI... PLEASE have her tested for it anyway. I once had a UTI that got so bad I ended up with a severe kidney infection. You do NOT want to have that happen. It was horrible. WAY worse than any flu I've ever had. When the doctor told me I was shocked because I hadn't felt any pain at all up until the kidney infection got bad enough to make it hurt in my back and stomach. It's such a simple test. Most of the time the doctor doesn't even need to see the child - just a stop in for a quick pee in a cup and it's done.
It's worth a quick trip to be sure it's not.
If you don't think it's medical, you may want to try eliminating milk (or dairy). She may not be allergic, but more like a low sensitivity -- enough to cause bladder leaks. I know some kids who stopped wetting beds or having accidents after cutting out milk.
For more ideas on where to start google 'eliminating milk from diet' or check out the yahoo group foodlab for more of a Q&A forum.
Good luck!
This is common. And yes it can sometimes be a bladder infection.
But also, many times, 3 year olds just don't gauge their pee urges accurately and they "think" they can hold it until.....
then it is usually too late.
My daughter at that age did that... and the other kids in her Preschool. They know mentally they may have to pee eventually... but not IMMEDIATELY until it is too late. Sure they are potty trained..but then they seem to reach this phase where they know and can sometimes put it off and hold it longer... but then they mis-cue it and then it becomes too late... and some pee may leak out... before they actually get to a toilet.
My daughter too used to tell me the EXACT same thing as your daughter when I asked her why she didn't go pee earlier and she'd tell me "I DIDN'T have to go then!" The "then" and "now" thing, is just really a conceptual thing and them misjudging it.
My daughter grew out of it. She is 7 now... but every once in a blue moon.. she does that.
All the best,
Susan
My 5 year old does this all the time and has been potty trained since 2 1/2. I have asked her dr. about it and have had her tested for a UTI more than once. Our dr. insists that this is common with her age and that it has to do with her knowing she can hold it. We go through these bouts every so often with my daughter. The dr. suggested taking her to the bathroom regularly (like every couple hrs) for a few days or a week to "train" her bladder. I thought she was crazy, but it actually works for us. Good luck!
I agree with another Mom that thinks it might be a UTI. You said she used to have pain but doesn't anymore - generally a UTI won't go away on its own. I say from experience - I had an infection and had NO idea. I felt like I needed to pee really often and it was hard for me to hold it. I would definitely take her to her Pedi and have them test her urine for a bladder or UTI.
