Week 6: Toilet Training & Thumbsucking

What a BIG topic that every parent cringes at. Problems with this area mean a big trial in patience! We had 9 moms and 12 kids attending this week's meeting to discuss solutions. Katie was a great babysitter- thank you so much! And Caroline (and your husband), thanks for the awesome muffins!
Here's a few points from Dr. Latham for discussion about these two topics:

Toilet Training:
When toilet training children:
1. be certain there are no medical problems complicating a child's bladder or bowel control,
2. begin initial bladder control using the basic behavioral strategies of extinction and selective reinforcement of appropriate behaviors,
3. teach enuretic children "strain and hold" procedures,
4. for more difficult causes, employ the "dry bed training" using a urine alarm device, and
5. particularly for older children, teach urine retention and sphincter control exercises.


Eliminating Thumbsucking:
1. Daytime thumbsucking can be eliminated with the systematic application of
withdrawing positive reinforcement, and
selective reinforcement of appropriate behavior.
2. Chronic bedtime (nocturnal) thumbsucking can be eliminated using a five-phase process called "response prevention strategy using constraints," as follows:
Phase 1: Boxing glove restraint.
Phase 2: Absorbent cotton restraint.
Phase 3: Finger tip bandage restraint.
Phase 4: No restraint.
Phase 5: Follow-up.

If you have any methods that you've tried or know about, please do share as we all can use more ideas!