Toddler diarrhoea and potty training

[sunflowers365]

I wondered if anyone has any advice for me please? It seems my 21 month daughter has toddler diarrhoea. The GP has done blood tests for allergies and tested for infections and all has come back fine. I need to call the GP again and ask for more advice. Can anyone advise me what I should be requesting? I am concerned about how to potty train my daughter when her poo is so runny. Has anyone got any experience of this in terms of how to potty train and also what the GP can offer? Thank you in advance.

I'd just put potty training on hold for six months and revisit then. She's quite young to potty train unless she's desperate to do it. There's no harm in waiting until about 2.5 in these circumstances.

My DD had it. Potty training was a nightmare - sorry!
She finally got the hang of it around 3 1/2 but even then was prone to accidents. We tried three times before then and each time I gave up. Lots of tears and stress (mainly mine!)
When she started at the school nursery I took a letter in from the GP and they agreed that it shouldn’t stop her being there. The agreement was that I would go in to sort out any bad accidents but they were brilliant at reminding her loads and I never actually had to go in.
She grew out of it around 5.

Blood tests only show immediate allergies and delayed allergies, the sort that gives loose stools do not show up on blood tests and can only be identified by doing controlled removal of the foods and retrying them to see if symptoms return

We potty training my daughter with toddler diarrhoea at the same age. It took her about 6 months to crack poos but this was slower as she started refusing to use the potty for poos until an incentive scheme was introduced. It has made our life a lot easier! She's been potty trained a year and only now has poo accidents if she has a bug or is having an allergic reaction.
We have a shower hose on the bath which came in handy for rinsing out knickers. We did cloth nappies so we had been used to rinsing poo out!
Life really is a lot easier having a toddler with diarrhoea when it's going straight into the toilet and when you are having to rinse poo out of clothing due to leaked nappies its not much extra to rinse knickers too!

Mine finds it harder to get to the toilet on time, the softer it is.

For nursery, I tell them to chuck soiled knickers in a bag (also ex-cloth nappies), which go straight in the washing machine for a first cold rinse with a little laundry liquid/ powder before a normal 40° wash.

Cloth wipes are quicker.

Specific techniques - risky ... but a nappy free few days. At this age, you'll be watching for signals a lot more than at 36 months but it's quite satisfying!

@Superscientist is there a site I can read up about removal of foods? I want to do this but stools already erratic and I would find it hard to judge results

My son had it, it's a few years back now but I don't think it was particularly harder/longer to potty train him than my other DC. Accidents were messier. If at home, strip & shower (just bottom half) was a quick way to get clean.

His poo started to improve a bit after he potty trained, I wondered if the bowel control actually helped to mature his bowel function and firm things up? He grew out of it completely in early primary.

I had to wing it!
The cmpa Facebook groups were helpful
You could speak to your HV or GP about a dietician referral for support

Here's a page from the NHS on toddler diarrhoea
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/dietary-advice-for-toddler-diarrhoea-parent-carer-information/

I am not sure to be honest. My GP told me this week not to change her diet.

Ask for a dietician referral. Your HV can do the referrals if your GP isn't willing

Thank you. I will keep that in mind. The GP had referred to the paediatrician. :)