Heights resident publishes potty training book

Deb Lonzer reading to her son Noah.

Potty training can be among the most stressful times for parents, according to longtime Cleveland Heights resident and pediatrician Deb Lonzer. At the request of one of her patients, Lonzer has published her first children’s book to help toddlers and parents view toilet training as a natural—and even fun—process. Lonzer collaborated with illustrator and Wickliffe native John Cairns, and said she wrote The Flushville Four “to help toddlers and parents relax a bit about potty training.”

“It seems to me that parents and kids can take potty training too seriously,” said Lonzer. “Potty training has become increasingly important, as parents try to train their kids as early as possible to get them into preschool, to save money on diapers, to reduce the weight of that diaper bag, or to keep up with neighbors who swear that their daughter was fully trained by 13 months. The truth is, I’ve never heard of a kid going to the prom in diapers.”

Named after her pets, Lonzer’s characters want to feel like big kids. They have accidents, they practice holding it during play and they race to the potty chair. They also play outside, help set the table, eat healthy meals, learn about the importance of hand washing and celebrate small victories.

The Flushville Four is part of Lonzer’s larger effort to reach out to parents with educational tools that fit their busy lifestyles. While this is her only formally printed tool to date, Lonzer maintains a blog with parenting tips and children’s health and wellness information, has an active Facebook page and regularly tweets pediatric-related news.

As a board-certified pediatrician, Lonzer has spent more than 20 years at Cleveland Clinic Children’s hospital, helping parents navigate through the early years with their children. She is an assistant professor of pediatrics at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, and is a graduate of The Hershey Medical Center of the Pennsylvania State University, who completed her training in pediatrics at Cleveland Clinic Children’s. 

Lonzer has lived in the Heights since she began practicing pediatrics in 1995. She has won awards for her teaching and research.  Lonzer is a frequent guest on local news programs, and is often quoted by health information outlets, including the Plain Dealer and  Parents magazine, and national broadcast news programs.

For more information about potty training, children’s health issues and The Flushville Four, visit www.deblonzermd.com.

Jenn Lonzer

Jenn Lonzer is Deb Lonzer’s spouse, and chief storyteller at i2i Communications Ltd., an integrated communication solutions company that is handling Lonzer’s public relations and marketing efforts.

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Volume 7, Issue 4, Posted 2:56 PM, 03.31.2014