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Early potty training refers to a potty training program that is begun before a child is two years old. Advocates of early potty training or infant potty training believe a child can begin potty training much younger than we originally thought, some as early as birth.

The Theory

In early potty training, the parents have to be very vigilant and watch their child for signs that he is about to relieve himself. When the baby looks like he needs to potty, parents rush the child to a potty chair. The theory is that by repeating this over and over, the child learns at a early age to associate the potty chair with going potty and becomes potty trained faster.

The Opposing View

Research has shown and most experts agree that a child’s neurological development progresses at certain intervals. Before a child can be completely potty trained, the neural pathway that carries the signal from the bladder to the brain that it is full must be in place. This takes place around two years of age. Until that time, the bladder will continue to empty itself when it is full.

Opponents of early potty training liken it to attempting to teach a child to walk at birth. The child has not reached the level of development necessary to do that. So in early potty training, it is mostly the parents that are trained. Successes then become a matter of averages. If you put a child on a potty chair long enough and often enough, you will occasionally be successful.

Is This Potty Training?

That is the burning question. Can a child who is incapable of understanding, much less controlling bowel and bladder signals truly be potty trained?

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