Written by Smita Srivastava The process of toilet training the kids with autism can be both challenging and emotionally draining. The parent may need tons of patience and understanding to make it happen. However, the good part is that most autistic kids can get toilet trained with consistent routines and verbal praise from the caregiver. For an autistic child, the toilet training process involves creating easy plans for them. Being calm with them helps a lot. Through a personalized approach, the parent can empower the child to grasp this developmental milestone successfully, even if it takes time. Toilet training kids with autism may take time because you need to cater to their unique needs and learning ability. Read this article to know all about how to effectively impart toilet training to children with autism. In This Article
Teaching the basic skills of using a toilet successfully can be a challenge with an autistic child (1). It is because each of them has varying needs. Moreover, their ability to understand verbal or nonverbal communication is lower than other kids of the same age. With an autistic kid, toilet training has to be specialized, depending on their individual needs. Most autistic children get delayed in toilet training because of the following reasons – As a parent, the first thing that you should consider is whether your child is ready for the process. Although autistic children and non autistic kids show similar signs of readiness, autistic children may take longer to use the toilet. They may resist until they are a little grown up (3). As a parent or caregiver, you can look for readiness signs in your child. If your autistic child is ready for toilet training, they might show signs such as- Sometimes, preparing the autistic child to use the washroom depends on their learning ability. Research findings have shown that autistic children cannot engage in self-care due to developmental delay (4). Consequently, toilet training is a hurdle for them. Being a parent of an autistic child, you can use some simple ways to prepare for your child‘s potty training. Remember to make your washroom child-friendly. Keep noisy fans away. Moreover, cold floors and loud sound of the flush should be avoided. They are sensitive to sensory stimuli that are harsh. There are some simple ways of toilet training kids with autism. Some of them are as follows- Toilet training an autistic child is difficult and requires a lot of patience and consistent efforts by the parents. These top 5 tips will help you toilet train children with autism with ease- At home, maintain a fixed time for bathroom breaks. You can use timers to remind the child, or you can show visual cues or video modeling to tell them that it’s time for bathroom breaks (5). You can tell stories about toilet training. This can be done by explaining to the child the step by step process of using the washroom. Always celebrate their tiny efforts. Never be rude with them even when they fail to do the expected. You should reward them with cookies, or a toy if possible, just to encourage their efforts. These act as reinforcements and motivate the child to try again (6). Be slow and steady with autistic kids. You need to understand their capabilities also. Therefore, be flexible and avoid forcing them when they’re cranky or showing emotional distress of some kind. You can try again sometime later. Teach one thing at a time. Remember that they may not learn two things together. Help them learn the self-care skill of using the washroom at their own pace. This often ensures better success. Each autistic child is unique. Therefore, the process of toilet training the kids with autism has to be individualized. A supportive and encouraging home environment with consistent routine can help the autistic child accomplish the self-care process of using the washroom on their own in a better way. Some autistic children may take more than a year to learn to stay dry in the daytime. However, bowel control can even take longer up to 2 years also. Generally, autistic children pee a lot because they lack the sensory awareness to use the washroom at the right time. They may not register that their bladder is full. References
With a background in Mass media and journalism, Smita comes with rich and vast experience in content creation, curation, and editing. As a mom of a baby girl, she is an excellent candidate for writing and editing parenting and pregnancy content. The content she writes and edits is influenced by her own journey through pregnancy and motherhood. When not writing- She can be found curled up with a book. Or, bingeing on Netflix.Read more. Top 100 Friendship and Learning Quotes For Preschoolers Choosing The Right Preschool – A Guide For Parents Parallel Parenting – Pros and Cons Hematuria (Blood in Urine) in Children – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Top 5 Counting Songs For Kids Slapped Cheek Syndrome(Fifth Disease) in Children – What is it, Symptoms and Tips to Prevent Get regular updates, great recommendations and other right stuff at the right time.
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