Many preschools require children to be toilet trained before by the age of three. Dr. Steve Hodges, a pediatric urologist at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center has come out and said preschools and facilities that require children to be toilet trained by age three, "are harming kids,"
"Children under age 3 should not manage their own toileting habits any more than they should manage their college funds," wrote Dr. Steve Hodges in an article on the parenting website Babble.com.
A child's bladder, which continues growing to its standard size until age three, grows stronger and faster when it's filling and emptying uninhibited, said Hodges.
"When you train early, you're interrupting that process," he told ABCNews.com.
Training a child too early can lead to toilet accidents because the bladder may not be strong enough. It may also lead to constipation, kidney damage and even urinary tract infections, said Hodges, mainly because children are holding in their bowel movements longer than they should, said Hodges.
To prevent medical complications, children should be allowed uninhibited elimination until they are ready, he said.
Dr. Stefani Hines, pediatric developmental and behavioral specialist at Beaumont Hospital's Center for Human Development said a child’s social, cognitive and physical skills set should dictate whether a child is ready to be toilet trained.
Hines said if a child is resisting potty training, parents shouldn't force it.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that a child is considered ready to be toilet trained when he or she can communicate their interest in using the toilet, can walk to the bathroom, can dress and undress themselves, and can sit comfortably on a toilet.
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