Psychological Development

• Sometimes difficulties with potty training can be reduced to the inability of the child to understand what they are supposed to do. The intellectual and psychological readiness of children varies with each individual.
  
  An inability to follow instructions can include not understanding where or when to urinate or have a bowel movement or understanding and being able to tell parents that they need to go, according to KeepKidsHealthy.com. Psychological factors may prevent some children from being uncomfortable in dirty diapers.
  
  

Physical Development

• Sometimes physical development will lead to a child’s inability to react to the need to use the potty. A lack of physical development can keep children from properly interpreting the feeling of a full bladder or the need to have a bowel movement.
  
  

Stress From Changes

• Timing can be a very important factor in potty training a child. Choosing to potty-train during a time of unusual stress may cause a problem in getting the child trained.
  
  Moving to a new home, transitioning from a crib to a toddler bed or switching daycare providers can cause significant stress on a child, and they may not be able to focus properly on potty-training during this time.
  
  

Relapse

• Even if a child appears to be fully potty-trained, it is possible that they will relapse. The stresses mentioned above can cause such a relapse. The birth of a new sibling may be another cause.
  
  A relapse can potentially be due to a health problem such as a urinary tract infection. It is a good idea to speak to your pediatrician if a potty training relapse happens just in case an infection is the culprit, according to KidsHealth.org.
  
  

Training Pants

• Many parents choose to transition children who are beginning to potty train to training pants. However, the new training pants may just seem like bigger diapers to the child, which may urge them to urinate or have bowel movements in them. It is best to go directly to underwear so that accidents will feel unpleasant and promote going to the potty. If training pants are desired, then using them only at night or when the child is out and about may be the best bet.