I need Potty training help - ASD kid

azzyberry

My DS (who just turned 4 last week) has ASD.  He's been in ABA for almost 2 years.  He's on the milder side of the spectrum and is verbal.  He has been potty trained with pee since just before his 3rd birthday so just over a year.  Poop is another story. 

We've gotten him to poop only a handful of times on the potty and it was a struggle.  I have tried everything.  I've tried reward/sticker charts, positive reinforcement, bribing him with all kinds of toys/treats/things I know he loves and he won't do it. 

In the beginning when he would go in his pants, he really didn't like it.  He'd tell me right away and I'd clean him up.  He's a kid that has always had issues with being dirty so this really bothered him.  I was hoping that would work to my advantage and eventually he would realize he wouldn't be messy if he went on the potty.  Now, he doesn't care if he has poop in his pants.  It doesn't bother him.  He doesn't care and he doesn't tell me right away anymore.  Usually I can smell it before he tells me.

I know he understands he is supposed to go on the potty but he refuses.  It's been a year and I just don't know what to do anymore.  Any advice/suggestions? I will try anything.  Thank you.

MirandaHobbes

-auntie-:

Does his ABA team have any suggestions? If he's been doing ABA for 2 years, I assume it has been an effective therapy. Bring them in on this. Toileting is often a behavior addressed with ABA in a private, self contained or EI setting. Some school districts will not address this as an educational need if the child is high functioning and served in a mainstream or intergrated setting.

DS was reluctant to train for #2; this was pre-dx. He was 3. At the suggestion of his pedi I gave him ownership of the process and consequences. If he had an "accident" I supervised the clean up- strip down, dump contents into the toilet ("poop goes in the toilet") swish soiled clothes in the toilet, wring out, bathe, get dressed. I maintained a neutral emotion and did not assist. He did this twice and it was done.

 All this. DS was very visual- he had to see it coming out or on the floor- as opposed to just in his pants. We weren't able to effectively PT for #2 until we went totally naked around the house. It only took a few times for him to see what was going on for him to figure it out.

azzyberry

-auntie-:

Does his ABA team have any suggestions? If he's been doing ABA for 2 years, I assume it has been an effective therapy. Bring them in on this. Toileting is often a behavior addressed with ABA in a private, self contained or EI setting. Some school districts will not address this as an educational need if the child is high functioning and served in a mainstream or intergrated setting.

DS was reluctant to train for #2; this was pre-dx. He was 3. At the suggestion of his pedi I gave him ownership of the process and consequences. If he had an "accident" I supervised the clean up- strip down, dump contents into the toilet ("poop goes in the toilet") swish soiled clothes in the toilet, wring out, bathe, get dressed. I maintained a neutral emotion and did not assist. He did this twice and it was done.

I have discussed this with his ABA team.  Most of the things I have tried were on their suggestion.  Some of them worked at first (which is how I was able to get him to go on the potty a few times) but after 1 or 2 times DS wouldn't care and they stopped working.  I do keep a neutral emotion as most of DS behaviors are attention seeking so I don't want to give him that "big" reaction that he desires. 

When he goes in his underwear, I always take him to the potty and I put the poop in the potty so he sees where it goes but I've always cleaned him up.  I've never had him clean it up because I've always read that you shouldn't "punish" kids for an accident because it could have the opposite effect and hinder potty training.  However, I have found myself wondering if that is the next step I should take.  I just don't know what else to do.  I'll talk to his ABA team about having him clean it up next time I see them. 

Thank you for the advice

SueBear

Ok, on the try anything route....sounds stupid and completely non-scientific but the book "Everybody Poops" was helpful to us.  I don't remember the author, but it talks about how camels poop and whales poop. DS was over 4 when he was potty trained and I think it helped with his anxiety.  It was recommended on another board by a special ed teacher who had kids still potty training at a late age.