Toilet training for autistic children involves making a few changes to the usual potty training technique. While the adaptations you make will vary based on the needs and abilities of your child, you can expect that toilet training may take longer than training a non-autistic child and may be more difficult.
Understanding Challenges
Lack of social motivation to learn to use the toilet may delay training. While other young children may be motivated to use the toilet to be more like older children, children with autism may not place the same value on toilet training status. The University of North Carolina School of Medicine reports that autistic children also may have difficulty understanding language, imitating behaviors, accepting changes to daily routines or completing an activity requiring several steps. Understanding these challenges can help you develop a toilet training plan that works for your child.
Evaluation
Evaluating your child’s abilities and fears before you begin toilet training can provide useful information. Keeping a toileting journal for one or two weeks can help you prepare your evaluation of your child's readiness and potential problem areas. The journal should include information on any fears your child has while in the bathroom, dry times, times you can expect child to be wet and your child’s awareness about wet or soiled diapers. Understanding the length of your child’s attention span and ability to pull down and pull up his pants can help you determine if your child is ready to begin toilet training.
Developing Associations
Structuring toilet training allows autistic children to associate elimination with the toilet. The UNC School of Medicine recommends moving all cleaning, diapering and toilet-related dressing to the bathroom before toilet training begins to help the child associate elimination with the bathroom.
Providing Visual Clues
Offering visual clues and supports can help autistic children learn the proper sequence of steps when toilet training. AutismToday.com reports that picture symbols depicting each stage of the process can be helpful. Photographs or drawings should represent key steps, such as entering the bathroom, pulling clothes down, sitting on the toilet, reaching for toilet paper, using toilet paper, putting toilet paper in the toilet, standing, pulling up clothes and flushing the toilet.
Considerations
Anticipating your child’s fears and providing a solution can help make toilet training less stressful or frightening. If flushing scares your child, the UNC School of Medicine suggests avoiding unnecessary flushing, warning your child when flushing will occur and allowing her to stand in the doorway while you flush during the initial stage of toilet training. Playing soft music or muting possibly annoying sounds can help your child concentrate on toilet training.
