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Potty Training Your Child on the Autism Spectrum - My Experience
by marytara | Aug 07 '04
My 3.5 year old on the autism spectrum successfully trained - It can be done!

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Comments on Potty Training Your Child on the Autism Spectrum - My Experience" (17 total)  
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Date Written
Accident concequence (Reply to this comment)
by jfmarden
hi thanks for your advice. here is my big question:

what if there is an accident? what do you suggest? I've had professionals tell me not to say anything to my son.

my husband bitterly disagrees and makes Cyrus tell him "where do you go pee pee?" in the potty? Cy echos the answer. "in the potty".

My husband also thinks we should visit the scene of the crime three times and then lead Cy to the toilet three times asking "where do we go pee pee"?

help!!!!, Jean.
Oct 29 '08
6:00 pm PDT

Thanks so much! (Reply to this comment)
by alaas
If I could hug you I would too! My son is 5 years old and we had been trying for so long to get him trained. I read your article and it made me realize that I was making it easy for him with Pull-Ups. I put him in underwear and took him to the potty every 30 minutes and used the picture cards. I am proud to say that 2 weeks later he is officially potty trained with no accidents so far! I couldn't have done it without your help! Thanks so much!
Oct 17 '08
6:19 am PDT

I'd hug you if I could..... (Reply to this comment)
by bectrek
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such an informative & helpful article. I have been training my 3.5 year old for 9 months now & he has never verbalized to me he needed to go potty (even though he has been accident free & in big boy underwear on a toileting routine for several months) I printed & began using the picture cards. He now uses them to "tell" me he has to go! The first time he did I actually cried. I know everyone tells you not to stress out when your special needs child doesn't train quickly, but it IS stressful. Family, friends...all giving advice that just doesn't work for my child. Ugh...
Thank you again....
Sep 10 '08
7:10 pm PDT

Thank you... (Reply to this comment)
by befus
so much for this incredibly helpful and thorough review. I am just now beginning to think about potty training my daughter, who is 28 months old and has a significant language delay. She has not been diagnosed with PDD-NOS, but we've been told that is something we may be looking at "down the road." At the moment, she uses some signs (we've been working on that and she is beginning to use more) but hardly ever vocalizes or uses words. I've been feeling very daunted about potty training, and your review really encouraged me and gave me hope as well as ideas about places to look for help.

Thank you!
Beth
Nov 11 '04
6:56 pm PST

*clapping* (Reply to this comment)
by bops_mom
WTG Alex! And wow MT, you're an amazing mom and I'm not just sucking up. ;) Thank you for sharing this fantasic and helpful editorial. We are still having night time potty issues, etc. and kiddo is 6.5 years. I'm pretty sure it has to do w/his CP though, but *scream*.... it makes all three of us over here a bit nuts at times.

Aug 10 '04
9:45 pm PDT

Great Stuff, MT!!! (Reply to this comment)
by mariahan
What a great editorial! And much congrats to you and Alex!

You have a lot of great info for any parents that are experiencing potty training, autism spectrum or not. I just printed out the visual aids from do2learn.com and they are fabulous!

Thanks for a great editorial and all the info/ideas on how to help potty train!

Maria
Aug 09 '04
7:57 am PDT

Re: Yeah! (Reply to this comment)
by shantel575
Meant to also say.... we also used the "open door" policy... how else can a boy learn if he doesn't see daddy doing what we are trying to teach them? :)

Aug 08 '04
5:47 pm PDT

Awesome Editorial MT! (Reply to this comment)
by shantel575
And yes, you're right, it CAN be done! My 5 yr old finally "got it" at age 3 also. It took books, videos and lots of visual cues, but he got it :)

Glad your little one has finally acheived this goal! :)

Great job on the editorial...

Shantel
Aug 08 '04
5:45 pm PDT

WOW grats!! (Reply to this comment)
by ladyhawk2_99
Grats to the both of you! I must say, though, with 3 children and no particular special needs, that I can't even imagine a closed door policy until an age when the giggling is imminent. That anyone would think you should do otherwise...well, I don't get it. I don't judge anyone who has chosen differently, mind you, but I also don't get why THEY would care or have an opinion about my toilet training proceedures. Those are some bored people you know:)

Kids learn best by seeing and doing, IMO. You can yammer all you want at them about what they're sposed to do, but a picture is worth a thousand words. If you like the thousand word approach, that's cool. I just don't:)
Aug 08 '04
11:06 am PDT

Congratulations! (Reply to this comment)
by mizgnomer
Great job on the review - definitely some excellent advice.

My little guy is maybe 75% trained. He's perfect at school and will tell us when he needs to go as long as we're not at home. At home though, he feels that just using the diaper is fine. We've tried charts and stickers which build up to prizes (which have worked a little bit), but it still isn't 100%. We're now waiting for a good, calm weekend where we can just go with cotton underpants to see if that encourages him to tell us when he's home.

Again, fabulous review!! Thanks very much for sharing. :)

MizGnomer
Aug 07 '04
7:13 pm PDT

Oh boy... (Reply to this comment)
by bonzobean
...you're preaching to the choir sister!

We finally got my son potty trained by the time he was almost four and social stories and charts were our successful mix. Having a chart showing what to do was very helpful.

My son is now six and still in pullups at night. We have our first appointment to talk to the doctor about it next week. He also still has accidents if things around him are too chaotic and there are too many people. The sad thing is that he is very aware of his wetting the bed and accidents and would do anything to stop them.

Wonderful editorial. I know you'll help many moms out there whether thay have children with autism or just late potty trainers.

Bonzo =)
Aug 07 '04
6:02 pm PDT

Yeah! (Reply to this comment)
by marybatson
Way to go Alex, and mommy!

Gosh, it never occurred to me to close the door in front of my son when entering the powder room. How else are children supposed to associate with the concept if not allowed to watch, and ask questions.

Super review MT. I'm sure it will help many with the very difficult task of potty training.

Mary :)
Aug 07 '04
4:08 pm PDT

Re: Re: Ahhh........... (Reply to this comment)
by jadzia66
I also employ an open door policy. Because we have a little girl, my husband does close the door but since I have the same "parts" as my daughter, I freely go to the bathroom in front of her and always tell her "mommy is going pee pee on the potty!!!" She's almost 3 and has no interest whatsoever but I keep trying and I know that one of these days she's going to surprise me. I've asked my MIL to get her the Potty Time DVD for Bear in the Big Blue House and I hope that will help as well.

Congratulations on successfully training your son! All of your hard work paid off and I can tell how proud of him you are!

Cherie
Aug 07 '04
3:17 pm PDT

Did you know that (Reply to this comment)
by msmorvay
Once Upon A Potty is on video as well for Boys and Girls? It has a cute little song on it that kids really like.
Aug 07 '04
11:25 am PDT

Interesting! (Reply to this comment)
by stlmom
I would have never thought to put the steps (pants, down, sit on potty, etc.) near the toilet but I really like that idea. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Stlmom
Aug 07 '04
11:09 am PDT

Re: Ahhh........... (Reply to this comment)
by Freak369, Freak369 is an Advisor on Epinions in Kids & Family
The Open Door Policy

This is something that I always did and most people were shocked that I'd leave the door open with toddlers about. Hey, you know what, they have to learn some how and even though they were little boys - they got the point of what to do.

Congrats on this milestone!

^V^ Freak ^V^
Aug 07 '04
9:38 am PDT

Ahhh........... (Reply to this comment)
by kamel622, kamel622 is an Advisor on Epinions in Kids & Family

....sweet success. You've really incorporated some wonderful and encouraging methods of training. I'm sure that all of it together is what made this a great success.

We're going to be working on this with the 2 1/2 year old that I have in the daycare....oooohhhh boy, here we go again. lol

Thanks MT great job on the potty training and the review..........Make it a great day...kath
Aug 07 '04
9:35 am PDT
   

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