Your child may be a little late in picking up the basics of potty training. This can happen for more than one reason. Neither you nor your child is to be blamed and there is certainly no cause for worry if the child is a little "behind schedule". However; sometimes this delay can be due to avoidable reasons.

Read on to find out why delay can occur and what to do in such cases.

Often an avoidable delay in potty training occurs because parents did not take up the issue early on. When this happens, the child can get into a comfort zone with diaper use and may be a little resistance to let go of his diaper dependence. One of the issues with beginning potty training late is that it means a possibility of your child using diapers even when in school.

But there are certain advantages to starting potty training late. Your child is old enough to understand what you're saying; he can communicate his desire to use the toilet and he has very good bowel and bladder control. These are attributes that will help you train your child in potty use in spite of beginning late. You can do it fast, in a matter of days, in fact. So don't worry, you can pick up on lost time pretty smoothly.

On your part, be aware of the potty training steps. If your child has a toilet routine, then that's a big plus for you. Otherwise you need to be aware of the child's biorhythms and take it to the toilet at the first sign of any "pressure".

In some cases, the child may be slow to pick up instructions and develop necessary faculties a little late; this is another reason for late potty training, though it's not a common occurrence. Take the advice of a pediatrician on how to take the case forward. Never lose patience with your child; the matter is not in his control. Be patient, you're more likely to achieve better results this way. Find out what works best in training your child; it can be a small matter of letting your child hold is favorite toy when you're training him. Also try to check if your child is resistant only to potty training or is generally slow in learning other things as well.

Constipation, for any reason, can be a deterrent for children. Their instinct is to avoid the discomfort of straining and passing hard stool. A fiber-rich diet and maybe a mild laxative once in a while will see you through. Also, give your child enough exercise. With gradual coaxing and a couple of positive experiences in using the potty, he'll learn potty use.