The Thing About Toileting Struggles

Charmaine Champ Author

Within this blog we share why toileting struggles don't just go away and where you can start as a family and school to help your child.

Toileting struggles don`t just resolve themselves. Poo accidents, withholding poo, or difficulty passing it can become persistent struggles if left unaddressed. Poo is imply waste, what the body doesn't need and is meant to leave the body and passed in the loo! However for many children, the act of using the toilet becomes a cycle of uncertainty and discomfort. When an association is formed between toileting, pain, embarrassment or fear, the brain starts to perceive the activity as unsafe. This triggers protective responses in the body, leading to avoidance, withholding or difficulty passing wees and poos. Over time, this impacts a child's physical sensations, making it harder to recognise the need to go and complicating their toileting progress. 

What about school?

For some children, avoiding the school toilets feels like the safest option. But, holding onto wees and poos all day can lead to toileting struggles. Constipation, discomfort and disrupted bladder rhythms can occurs and often result in accidents or infections. Children who feel uncomfortable inside their bodies may struggle to focus, concentrate or regulate their emotions, impacting their ability to thrive in the classroom. This cycle of avoidance only deepens the struggle, as the brainstem reinforces messages to avoid the toilet and resist the urge to wee or poo.

Where to start in helping your child at home and school? Breaking the toileting struggle cycle needs a consistent routine. Encouraging children to sit on the toilet at regular intervals throughout the day when wees and poos are more likely to be passed, helps reintroduce predictability and trust in the toileting process. Join this with drinking and eating, promotes a consistent routine both at home and school.

How can Clear Steps Consultancy help your child progress and overcome toileting struggles?

Charmaine, at Clear Steps Consultancy supports children with and without a diagnosis, additional needs, their families, schools, organisations, charities and professionals in progressing and being successful with Toileting, Sleeping and Understanding Behaviour.  

Help and support is available at every stage of the toileting journey!

Start helping your child in progressing and overcoming toileting struggles today, with support! 

Categories: : children, Clear Steps, Continence, feeling, parent support, safety, sitting on the toilet, support, Toileting