Potty Training Difficulties & Pre-Potty Training Support
Potty training can be one of the biggest transitions of early childhood — and one of the most stressful for parents. If your child resists sitting on the toilet, withholds stool or urine, or has frequent accidents despite your best efforts, you’re not alone. Many kids need extra support to make potty training a positive, successful experience.
At OWN Pediatric Therapy, we help families navigate potty training with compassion, expertise, and a whole-child approach that gets to the root cause of the challenges.
Understanding Potty Training Challenges:
Potty training is about more than just readiness — it’s a complex process involving body awareness, muscle coordination, sensory processing, and emotional regulation. When any of these systems are out of sync, children may struggle to recognize when they need to go, feel anxious about the toilet, or even experience constipation and accidents.
Common Potty Training Difficulties
Fear or resistance to sitting on the toilet
Stool withholding or hiding to poop
Refusal to urinate or poop on the potty
Frequent small accidents after initial success
Constipation or painful bowel movements
Regression after major transitions or stress
These challenges are rarely behavioral. They’re often the body’s way of signaling discomfort, sensory overwhelm, or muscle coordination difficulties.
How Pediatric Pelvic Floor Therapy Helps
At OWN Pediatric Therapy, we use gentle, play-based strategies to help children feel safe, confident, and capable during the potty training process.
Pediatric pelvic floor therapy helps families:
Understand how bladder, bowel, and pelvic muscles work together
Address constipation and stool withholding before or during training
Build body awareness and recognition of internal signals
Learn proper toileting posture and breathing techniques
Create consistent, positive routines that support success
We also offer pre-potty training support for toddlers showing early signs of readiness or for parents who want to lay a strong foundation before starting. This proactive approach helps prevent constipation, stool withholding, and power struggles later on.
Signs Your Child May Benefit from Extra Support:
Avoids or cries when asked to sit on the toilet
Hides to poop or has large, hard stools
Frequently has accidents after potty training
Shows fear or anxiety around flushing or bathroom routines
Has sensory sensitivities or difficulty recognizing body cues
Find Peace in the Potty Training Process:
Potty training doesn’t have to be a battle. With the right tools and guidance, children can learn to use the toilet confidently — and parents can feel supported every step of the way. OWN Pediatric Therapy provides potty training and pre-potty training support in Denver, Colorado, and virtually across the U.S., helping families find calm, confidence, and consistency through this important milestone. Learn more today!