Toilet training a child with developmental delays is really no different than potty training a child without them. The only differences in the process are age and time. Children with development disabilities may not be ready at the same age as other children, which is right around 24 months. It may also take longer to toilet teach a child with special needs, ranging anywhere between a few months to more than a year, estimates the American Academy of Pediatrics. Regardless of developmental delays, the key to toilet teaching is parental patience.
Indication of Readiness
The Children's Hospital recommends looking for indicators that a child is ready before you ever begin to toilet teach. Some of these indicators for a child with developmental delays are a level of communication, awareness of the sensation and the aptitude to pull down his clothing, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Concepts of Toileting
Before you begin toilet teaching, you should also work on the language involved with toileting such as wet, dry, toilet, potty, bathroom, pee and poop. It's important for any child to have some understanding of these ideas for potty training to be a success. On each inspection of his diaper, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests both a verbal and visual cue. If he's wet, exclaim "wet" and shake your head. After you've changed him, exclaim "dry" and smile. That being said, it's very important that your inflection and face lack judgment. No shame is involved with potty training.
Scheduled Bathroom Breaks
Just like any other toddler, a child with special needs can benefit from a schedule. One of the most effective is 15 to 30 minutes after a meal. Most kids need to go to the bathroom around this time. Other than that, you can take trips to the bathroom every one to two hours. Even if your child doesn't go to the bathroom at any of these intervals, make sure to praise her. Don't force your child, however, to sit on the toilet against her will. If that's the only way to get compliance, it could be an indication that toilet teaching needs to be put off until later.
Positive Reinforcement
While you should use positive reinforcement throughout the process, make sure to positively recognize when your child uses the toilet. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests smiling and saying "pee" when he urinates in the potty chair or toilet. The same should be done for bowel movements. The repetition of this can help make the connection and positively reinforce the use of the toilet over the diaper.
Be Consistent
If you're like most parents, you aren't the only people providing care for your child. To help with the potty training process, it's important to communicate with everyone involved with raising your child. This ensures that the process put in place is consistent, no matter who is caring for her at the time. A simple chart can help you, your child and everyone involved remain in harmony.
