Month 18 Worry: How Do I Start Potty Training?

Potty training is an interesting developmental and behavioral milestone. The average age of controlling voiding and stooling habits varies by culture, race, socioeconomic status, and whether your child is male or female, just to name a few. Potty training theories abound by the so-called experts. So let's break it down. What are the fundamentals in beginning potty training for your child?

In the United States, the average boy urine trains at 39 months of age, according to a Medical College of Wisconsin study. The average girl trains at 36 months.

In other cultures (Africa, Eastern Europe, China, the Arctic), babies learn to potty train about the same time that they learn to walk (about one year of age). This process, termed "elimination communication," begins between birth and 6 months of age and consists of very attentive parents reading subtle infant cues. Keep in mind that the average young infant pees five to six times per day. Those are a lot of cues!