Secrets to Potty Training Your Child With Autism

There are many things about parenting that are enjoyable, such as holding your infant in your arms for the first time or seeing your child take her first step. On the other hand there are some events attached to parenting that we just don't look forward to as much and for many parents toilet training their child is one of them, especially if your child has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Potty training a child on the Autism spectrum often requires a parent to leap over some additional hurdles when approaching the task. As challenging as it is to get any child to use the toilet independently the sensory system of a child with Autism does not respond in the typical way. Teaching a child to master this daily living skill can be extremely daunting but regardless of who your child is and what sensory sensitivities they may have, success can be achieved with a carefully crafted and customized approach.

All children, similar to their adult counterparts, have their own little quirks and peculiarities about how they like things done or how certain objects feel to them. Does - "It's too hot." "It's too cold." or "It's too hard." "It's too soft." - sound familiar to you? If you think you are stuck in the middle of the story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears you may not be too far off the mark.

Many children grumble about food and drink temperatures, the feeling of a surface or the texture of clothing. How many of us adults are partial to those scratchy tags they have in the necks of clothing? Parents often deal with such grievances on a daily basis as they care for their kids, but children with Autism are extremely prone to sensory overload.

The sights, sounds, smells and even the clothing your child wears can be determining factors for success or failure when it comes to potty training. Paying attention to sensory details such as the lighting in the bathroom, the sound of the toilet flushing and the texture of the toilet paper may seem a bit extreme but will pay off in the long run. Making your bathroom a sensory friendly place for your child is not only a very wise thing to do, it is one of your secrets to success.

If you feel you and your child are ready to conquer the task of learning to use the toilet here are some other important things to consider:

- Play detective. The mission here is for you to gather detailed information regarding your child's sensory likes and dislikes, what irritates them and what soothes them, what is likely to work for them and what isn't, weeks before you begin the training process. Most parents will know these things intuitively and could rattle of a short list rather quickly but when asked to mindfully compile such an inventory they are often amazed by the length this list suddenly expands to.

- Create a plan. A key ingredient for attacking any type of adventure or challenge is to develop a customized plan. One does not attend a job interview, give a party or take a trip without taking the time to do their homework if they want to achieve their desired objective. The detailed information you collected about your child will help you address each sensory issue that can and will influence the outcome. Potty training may not compare to events such as these but it does warrant the same consideration and effort if a parent wants their child to conquer and maintain independence in this self-care activity.

- Make it routine. Do not ignore the fact that most children with Autism love a predictable schedule, so take advantage of this and use it to your benefit. Creating a structured routine around potty training and sticking to it will certainly enhance your success rate. Any child who thrives on predictability and routine will blossom when the environment is structured and customized to their needs, regardless of the new knowledge they need to acquire.

Parents, who keep these tactics in mind as they guide their own little 'Goldilocks' to master this essential self-care skill, will not only experience less stress but everyone involved will enjoy a journey that, as Goldilocks says, "Ahhh, this feels just right".

Connie Hammer, MSW, parent educator, consultant and coach, guides parents of young children recently diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder to uncover abilities and change possibilities. Check out her toilet training program for children with Autism, From Bathroom Battles to Bathroom Bliss - Potty Training 101 at http://parentcoachingforautism.com/potty-training or visit her website http://www.parentcoachingforautism.com for more information.

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Asperger's Syndrome Symptoms: 4 Tips to Make Toilet Training Easyp And Fun

Asperger's syndrome, sometimes referred to as Asperger's disorder or Asperger's disease has various symptoms but one of the more common can be having trouble with toilet training. For whatever reason, it takes a lot of kids with Asperger's syndrome a lot longer than normal to be able to toilet train. Some kids can be six or seven before they're fully toilet trained...or later. This is not to say that every kid with Asperger's will have this problem, or to such an extreme; but it does happen.

Luckily, there are some strategies that can help. It can be very frustrating when you try and try to get your kid to go to the toilet, but he just sits there and doesn't go. Those diapers get bulky and tiresome to change after a while, and then of course there is the matter of school.

1. Break it into small steps. The most important strategy to use while teaching toilet training is to break it into very small steps. This works best if you think your child has a basic grasp of what a toilet is used for. Some kids with Asperger's syndrome and autism have a lot of anxiety related to the toilet. Perhaps it's the loud noise that flushing makes; perhaps they're afraid that they will fall in; perhaps the whirling water scares them. Maybe it's just too different a concept for them to handle. Whatever the case, you need to familiarize them with the parts of the toilet.
2. Reward success. Choose some "reinforcers" that you think will work well with your child. This can be chocolate chips, Oreos, action figures, anything small and easily accessible that show your child when they are doing something right, and give them incentive to do it again.
3. Be patient, go slow, take your time. Take your child into the bathroom, and prepare to be there for a while. If the child stays near the toilet and doesn't try to run away, reward that. Reward him if he sits on the toilet, even if he doesn't use it. Other steps could include pulling his pants down in preparation for using the toilet; eliminating waste even if it's not actually in the toilet (because this is better than the living room, sofa or so on); practicing flushing the toilet, and so on.If you can incrementally increase your proximity to the goal, and do it enough, then it should sink in to your child sooner rather than later what it is he's supposed to do.
4. Reinforce success. Of course, be sure to reinforce your child if he manages to use the toilet in the appropriate way, as well. Many kids with Asperger's and autism have very bad toilet habits, and will go just about anywhere where the urge strikes them...including on your furniture. Toilet training, then, becomes of utmost importance, and a large dose of patience is needed to achieve it.

One mother solved the toilet training problem by making a day of it, and locking her and her son in the bathroom with lots of juice and cookies. Her son would get thirsty, drink, and eventually use the toilet; when he did, she rewarded him by giving him candy as a reinforcer.

Her son threw lots of tantrums and had a lot of resistance. However, she kept pushing him towards the goal, and ignored the meltdowns. Eventually he pushed through his fear and anxiety of whatever was stopping him - or enough connections in his brain clicked on and he realized what he was supposed to do - and he managed to do it.

With persistence and patience, toilet training a child with Asperger's syndrome is possible. One thing to keep in mind is not to show irritation or anger; this will probably just scare your child more and make it less likely that he will do what you want him to. He will also associate feelings of fear and confusion with toilet training, which is not an association you want him or her to have.

Problems with toilet training can be one of the more frustrating symptoms of Asperger's syndrome, but with lots of patience and a few tips, you will indeed get to where you want to be.

Hopefully these tips can make life a little easier especially for children with Asperger's and their parents. In addition to these methods, there are many other tips and suggestions that can help your loved one live a fulfilling and happy life. A great site to find information to help children with Asperger's syndrome is the web site www.AspergersSociety.org. There you will be able to sign up for the FREE Asperger's Syndrome Newsletter as well as get additional information to help your loved one be happy and succeed in life.

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