Toilet Training for Autistic Kids
Toilet training can be a challenge to any parent but mothers and fathers of autistic children face added difficulties. Depending on the child's issues, he may not be able to communicate his needs or may struggle with new concepts. Patience and time are two key components to successful toilet training, and positive reinforcement is always a crucial factor.
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Develop a Time Line
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Mark down the time when the child wets his diapers for at least three days in a row. Use that as your guideline for placing the child on the toilet. Take off his clothes and sit him on the toilet for at least 30 minutes. Give him positive reinforcement for staying on the toilet. If your child loves trains, he can have a train book while he sits on the toilet, but have a more attractive reinforcement when he actually voids on the toilet. Keep giving him liquids while he sits on the toilet. When he finally uses the potty, give him positive reinforcement and a special treat, such as a new toy train for a child who loves trains.
He may play on the floor for 10 minutes, then he needs to sit on the toilet again. If he has an accident while playing, place him back on the toilet until he voids again. When he goes back on the floor for playtime, let him play for only nine minutes this time. Repeat this process until he recognizes the need to urinate and can communicate this to you verbally or through non-verbal signals.
Self Control
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Place the child's chair next to the toilet, and take off the child's clothes. Have him sit in the chair with the lesser of your positive reinforcements, the train book, for example. When he needs to urinate and goes to the toilet, he gets the greater of the positive reinforcements, such as the toy train. If he wets himself in the chair, have the child clean his body and play on the bathroom floor. Place him back in the chair. After 10 minutes in the chair, take away the positive reinforcement.
If the child wets himself three times in a row, repeat the first steps again, since he is not understanding his own need to urinate.
Once the child can use his own potty, gently lead him to use other toilets as well. If necessary, provide a comfort level with his own potty cushion or an adaptive chair. If the child is not verbal, teach him sign cues to let his caregivers know when he needs to use the bathroom.
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Nighttime Control
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Limit fluids for at least two hours before bedtime. Have the child urinate before bedtime. Wake him up in the early morning, no more than six hours since his bedtime, and have him use the potty. Gradually extend the time he is awakened until he can make it through the night.
The Next Step
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Mark down the time when the child has a bowel movement for several days. Have more positive reinforcements ready. Leave him on the toilet for 30 minutes to two hours until he has a bowel movement. Use the positive reinforcements when he succeeds in using the toilet for a bowel movement.
If the child knows when he has to have a bowel movement, and hides, place him on the toilet with his underwear still on, and leave the room. Cut a hole in his underwear, and make it a larger and larger hole until he is comfortable having a bowel movement without underwear.
Double Checking
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Check the child for dry underwear for the first few weeks of potty training. Every time the pants are dry, give positive reinforcements. If the pants are not dry, repeat the previous step in the training. If the pants are dry, extend the time between checking the underwear until you are confident that toilet training is complete.
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- Photo Credit toilet image by kuhar from Fotolia.com
