Potty Training Tips for kid with ASD?

wade-n-maria

He does not mind being wet or soiled, he is non verbal so he does not tell me when he has to go or has gone.  Currently he is afraid of the toilet, but will pee in the shower, rewards dont really work for him. His preschool does help with diaper changes and they take him to the potty, but he hates it.  We want to help him, of course, he is almost 3.5 and we would love for him to be potty trained but it is such a struggle. I am wondering if anyone has any tips. Thanks

breezy0629

This is a little preliminary for us, but DS is squeaking in just under 4 years old, and I think a light turned on for him just this week (I guess we'll see based on whether the trend continues or not). It's not perfect by any means, but we've got SOME spontaneous pottying.

We've tried everything...and Im just going to say it. HONESTLY when everyone says, give it time it WILL happen, just believe them. We've been struggling with this since September 2009 and I know there are parents/kids who it takes even much much longer than that, but don't just do it because everybody else is. Wait for some readiness signs. You have enough on your plate already. Yes, they need the exposure to it so that they are learning what they should do, but don't feel bad if you can't go full force just yet.

Working with our Pedi, OT, Psych, and Preschool we have all kept tabs on how he is doing and when we decided that physically the signs were there, we made it all 100% his responsibility. We prompt him to think about how his belly feels (this is just something that works for him) and point to a chart we have that shows a bladder empty, medium, full... If he messes/wets he has to clean it up. That has been a HARD rule to follow, but it makes a difference for him. This is certainly NOT the right way to handle all ASD children, my son just needs RULES and so, we gave him rules.

I never once thought about natural consequences/natural prompts until about a month ago. Talking about how his belly/bladder FEEL has been a great thing for him. I think watching a little video I found (https://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/htbw_main_page.html)  and talking in these terms instead of prompting him with rewards, etc... has really helped a lot with his connection of going when he feels it.

lysa3950

We are struggling too.  Our son turned 4 in April.  He doesn't mind sitting on the potty, loves putting toliet paper in, flushing it and waving bye bye, but won't go. He also won't tell us when he has to go and doesn't mind being wet.  We have been trying wearing underwear so he feels wet and not wearing anything at all.  He just hold it...for hours. Hopefully someone out there has a good method.  You're not alone, thats for sure.

akimbo

I recently attended a two-hour talk about toilet training a special needs kid.  The talk was given by a few ABA therapists, and they have had great success with the approach taken in the book "Toilet Training in Less Than a Day" These women specificaly spoke if its efficacy with children on the Autism Spectrum as well as children with Down Syndrome. We're giving it a shot over Memorial Weekend

https://search.barnesandnoble.com/Toilet-Training-in-Less-Than-a-Day/Nathan-H-Azrin/e/9780671693800/?itm=1&USRI=toilet+training+in+less+than+a+day

 

WheelerToBe

With my son, he was 3yrs, he stood up to pee in the bath.  I grabbed him up and stood him over the potty and he peed.  When he got to see it happen instead of sitting on the potty and not really knowing why it made a difference.  It was as if he then knew where peed belongs and always peed in the toilet after that.  Now pooping took another yr.  Try standing him up to pee.  We also had his dad pee when he was standing there so he could see it happen.  I think a lot of times they are like why am I sitting here for am I in trouble.  So they fight it but seeing the pee happen helps.

ae1112

I'm a special education teacher for small kids.  I've had success with a visual schedule.  Clipart of kid pulling pants down, sitting on potty, pants up, and hands signing "finished."  I isolate the routine by each step.  When I start the process of training, I use a timer every 45 minutes.  Once the timer goes off, I show a clipart picture of a potty and lead the way.  The schedule becomes predictable and the process becomes easier.  Could he be scared of the flushing noise?  One of my students was really scared of it at first.