Potty Training Autistic Children
September 29, 2008
Potty training autistic children can be a huge challenge due to the communications issues presented with such a disorder. It can be extremely frustrating to parents to the point that they stress out. The good news is that success can be achieved if you have the proper information to apply. You can’t always use the traditional methods used by most people, you need something tailored specifically for your child. It’s true that a lot of the issues are the same for all children, but you need to attack the problems from a different angle for success. I’m going to share with you some of my methods for potty training autistic children that should help you get through this.
Fear is probably the biggest thing that scares a child when it comes to learning to use the toilet. It’s something very new to them and it’s hard for them to give up the idea of using a diaper. Most children are afraid of the flushing sound of a toilet; autistic children can have a much different reaction to it. They have a much more difficult time dealing with these unusual sounds.
The sensitivity to new senses could be quite profound when it comes to potty training autistic children. Swirling water can disturb the child and even the sounds of urination can be enough to send them into a panic attack.
To make this work successfully, it is important to develop a schedule. Routine is very important for most children and even autistic children. It is best to select a time that is similar to their current patterns of going in their diaper.
An important part of this process is to teach the child to recognize what you expect of them. This is why it is important to create a signal that you can use to help them remember what they need to do. This can be a word or body language. Just make sure that you use it consistently.
It is important to take the time to reward good outcomes, but not get upset with bad ones. You want your child to feel proud that they actually used the potty. If they seem to be struggling with it, just remain patient. The first time you try this, they way not want to get on the potty. Just try again in about 30 minutes. You don’t want each attempt at this to turn into a long drawn out process. Most attention spans won’t last that long, so the longer it takes the less likely they’ll end up learning.
Lastly, when it comes to potty training autistic children, you want to make it fun. You want to do this with any child, no matter if they’re autistic or not. If they’re scared of going in the bathroom, try an easier place. Put some books or toys around the potty to make it have a more fun environment.
With these tools, you should now be prepared to successfully train any child, even autistic, to use the potty with ease.
For the latest potty training techniques and many more to make your families life much easier you should check out the resources at Autism Training and Tips.
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