My 4-year old son has been in pants now for 17 months and never wets himself completely, nor, except when he's run down, does he wet the bed at night. However, I've never known him to ask to go to the toilet unless he needs to poo or has a damp patch in his pants (never bigger than the size of a 10 pence piece). He does tend to go a very long time between weeing - only about 4 times a day (once on getting up, once halfway through the morning, once after lunch and once before bedtime), despite drinking plenty. So, most of the time, he goes because I've asked him to (we're going out, he's only just got up, it's after lunch, etc).
This hasn't bothered me too much until recently, but I've just started potty training his little brother, who is already dry all day and night. The thing I've noticed is that his brother does start clutching himself and showing obvious signs of needing a wee before he goes off to the potty (at his own instigation). My elder son has never done this - he shows no signs whatsoever of discomfort when his bladder is full, and doesn't react to any signals he's getting until his pants are a bit wet. So, is he genuinely unaware of any sensation coming from his bladder? Is this normal for a 4-year old? Or is he so good at ignoring the signs that he doesn't even unconsciously start wriggling, clutching himself or hopping up and down?!!! He starts big school in September, so I'd really like him to stop wetting his pants slightly before he goes. HAS ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS????
Is it possible to gain voluntary control over the muscles in your bladder, so that you can consciously hold on or evacuate, but not to be getting the signals from the bladder itself that it is full until it is literally full to bursting??? If so, what can I do about it? Will he ever understand the sensation, if he even gets one?