Teaching Your Child About Elimination

This video explains the reasons it’s helpful to teach your child about their body and how it eliminates waste. We also discuss some materials and strategies that can help you in this process.

A full transcript of the video appears below.

Hi, this is Chayah Lichtig. I am the director and occupational therapy consultant with the Vermont Continence Project. In this video, we are going to talk about how to engage your toilet learner by teaching them more about how their body works.

So why would we want to teach children more about their bodies?

Well, lots of children that we are working with may not have clear messages from their bodies, telling them when they need to pee or poop.

Sometimes when we teach them what’s inside and how it works, it can help them make connections between what they feel and what it might mean. This can help build interoception, which means awareness of sensation from your internal organs and the inside of your body.

If you and your child have a lot of tension or even conflict about toileting, information also gives you and your child something fun and neutral to talk about related to toileting stuff.

When children can understand that accidents aren’t them, but rather their bladder or their bowel or colon, it turns down that shame factor.

It also gives you something to talk about: are they making smooth snakes or little water bugs or mud puddles?

This kind of talk appeals to a lot of kids and it can help when kids are used to the talk around toileting being critical of them and their accidents or refusals.

What kind of materials can help you?

See Inside Your Body

There are great books about bodies. See Inside Your Body is popular on our project. Does your child actually know how pee and poop are formed? They may not.

The Bristol Stool Scale

While a younger child might be okay with traditional potty books, an older learner may want or need information about their body. You can find a version of the Bristol stool scale that speaks to you and your child.

Other Resources

There are many out there. There are some that compare it to food, I’m sorry, and there are some that have cute cartoons. You can Google to find a variety of options. There are also lots of videos out there about pee and poop and how they’re formed.

The Corn Test

The corn test is also popular. If your child eats corn, tell them to be on the lookout. How long does it take for it to come out?

Finally, remember that just because your child isn’t continent, it doesn’t mean they are at the age of other, quote, potty training children.

The word “potty”

While the word potty is appropriate for a toddler or a young preschooler, it doesn’t match older children so well. Remember to use age-respectful words for body parts, the toilet, and more.

Disclaimer: This information is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare professional.