How do you go about getting a five year old girl to use the toilet?

[MeekLittleGeek]

My five year old sister refuses to use the toilet when she needs to, she is the only child my mother has had trouble with in this regard out of four.

A couple years ago she was beginning to use the toilet as you would expect, she now claims to be afraid of using the toilet for some unknown reason. (Which probably means I should have asked this sooner)

The promise of rewards if she uses the toilet doesn't work, nor do threats of punishment.

She will not tell us when she needs to go to the bathroom despite our attempts to encourage her to do so.

This is quite frustrating, a bit of advice would certainly help.

Hi, maybe you should ask her some questions when she is in a relaxed happy mood. Maybe ask her if anything has scared her whilst going to the toilet? Explain that you love her and want her to be happy and not scared. Or if it hurts her to go? Or if she finds it uncomfortable. Tell her it’s ok to tell you. You need to really find out why. My son has bowel problems and was like this for a while but he saw an incontinence team and they prescribed lactulose. He also had to regularly sit on the toilet and blow bubbles from a bubble wand to relax his muscles and have a step up stool under his feet. I am unsure if this is passing water or bowel movements or both though. He also had to have regular toilet visits with rewards once he had been and the school had to help out also. It could be something physical causing it or psychological. Maybe she feels unsafe or uncomfortable on the toilet. My other son had to have a special soft seat and a step up stool. Maybe someone at school has scared her. Failing that I would maybe take her to a doctor and discuss it with them. Hope you all get it sorted.