Cicero, F. R., & Pfadt, A. (2002). Investigation of a reinforcement-based toilet training procedure for children with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 23(5), 319–331. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0891-4222(02)00136-1. Make going to the toilet part of your everyday routine. For example, ask your child to sit on the toilet at the same times each day.

Some children find the feel of a full nappy comforting, and may enjoy the sensory feeling of the weight of the nappy. Find alternative ways to replace these feelings so you can continue toilet training. Give your child a means of requesting the activity eg being wrapped in a warm, heavy blanket and fit it into their routine. Parents and caregivers of children on the autism spectrum shouldn’t stress too much over potty challenges because, as they say, for every problem, there is always a solution. With a lot of patience, structure, and reinforcement, toilet training can be accomplished.In this article, we offer easy ways to make using the toilet a positive experience for parents and kids with autism.During pre-baseline and baseline, Ivy never initiated trips to the restroom. Ivy first initiated a trip to the restroom on day 28, the 8th day of intervention, by vocalizing. She never initiated more than 50% of trips to the restroom and this behavior did not maintain beyond the first session of maintenance. Dan Here at Twinkl we believe in being fully inclusive. Being fully inclusive means including everyone, which is why we have so many resources like this to help children be included. You can find all of our communication resources here. Have a browse and see what you can find, or have a look at our suggestions below:

Can the child pull down his/her pants and underwear and pull up pants and underwear with little to no assistance?

These are indicators that the child is not ready to be potty trained. At this time, take a break from potty training for at least three months and revisit it at another time. Do not think of it as a failure, but think of as both parent and child are not ready. Once everyone is ready, potty training will be an easy and positive experience. Conclusion

Kroeger, K., & Sorensen, R. (2010). A parent training model for toilet training children with autism. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 54(6), 556–567. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01286.x.Make sure any pictures or instructions are very clear so there is no misunderstanding. For example, if you are teaching your son to stand and wee in the toilet, show an outline drawing of him standing and weeing in the toilet. If you are teaching sitting,show a picture of him sitting and weeing in the toilet.

Sometimes having a toy to handle - not one which causes excitement - can be useful to both keep your child on the toilet and relax them. Keep certain toys/books for just when they are sitting on the toilet. Basic symbols to allow a person to express an opinion,egby putting a thumbs down symbol next to that one of today’s activities, to show they didn’t enjoy it Observe your child over a few days to see when they do a wee or a poo. Identifying a regular pattern can help you take your child to the toilet with an increased likelihood of them doing a wee or poo. This then leads to positive reinforcement. McDonnell, J., & Ferguson, B. (1989). A comparison of time delay and decreasing prompt hierarchy strategies in teaching banking skills to students with moderate handicaps. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 22, 85–91. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.1989.22-85. These Potty Training at Home Sequencing Cards are another excellent option if your children are learning how to use the toilet. Just like the flashcards, these sequencing cards can work well as both activity and display resources.Estes, A., Munson, J., Dawson, G., Koehler, E., Zhou, X. H., & Abbott, R. (2009). Parenting stress and psychological functioning among mothers of preschool children with autism and developmental delay. Autism, 13(4), 375–387. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361309105658. Greer, B. D., Neidert, P. L., & Dozier, C. L. (2016). A component analysis of toilet-training procedures recommended for young children. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 49(1), 69–84. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.275. Side Note: Until children with autism are successfully potty trained, they can wear a diaper or pull-up for naps and bedtime. Azrin NH, Foxx RM. A rapid method of toilet training the institutionally retarded. 1. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis. 1971; 4(2):89–99. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1971.4-89. [ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar] Collier, J., Butler, R. J., Redsell, S. A., & Evans, J. H. (2002). An investigation of the impact of nocturnal enuresis on children’s self-concept. Scandinavian Journal of Urology and Nephrology, 3, 204–208. https://doi.org/10.1080/003655902320131884.