Clinical Guidance for Pediatric Toilet Training

Toilet training may seem like a simple developmental milestone until you’re the pediatrician helping a family navigate accidents, resistance, constipation, regression, and the growing pressure to get it right. For many families, toilet training quickly stops being about developmental readiness and starts becoming a collision of pressure, comparison, preschool deadlines, power struggles and late-night Googling. What seems like a simple milestone on the surface often turns into one of early childhood’s most emotionally charged transitions. And for pediatricians, it remains one of the most common yet surprisingly nuanced conversations in clinical practice.

To unpack the developmental science, behavioral realities and clinical challenges we are joined by two experts: Yodit Denu, PhD, and Melissa Buchholz, PsyD. As child psychologists, they specialize in infant and early childhood mental health. They both teach at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In this episode, our experts discuss:

• The concept of the “right age” to start toilet training versus when a child is ready
• How pediatricians can counsel families when starting this process
• The connection between toilet training and constipation
• How to promote a healthy, successful experience for families