6 year old with sensory processing disorder and bathroom issues

[arminnie]

Please don't waste any time worrying about what others may think. If I see an older child in diapers I assume there is an issue. If someone else doesn't - their thoughts are meaningless.

 

[mamabunny]

...I'm still going back and forth between the diapers and pull-ups, but you're right that I need to not care what people might think. They don't know his specific issues or how my family chooses to deal with them. And it's not like we're ever going to see those people again.

Exactly! Use the tools at your disposal to have the best possible trip - whatever they are - and don't give a moment's thought to what anyone else thinks. To be honest, most other Guests are so wrapped up in their own vacation that they won't even notice your family - and if they do, so what? I make eye contact, smile the biggest smile I have, give them a cheery wave, and go on.

You are doing an awesome job! Kids don't come with an instruction manual to begin with, and when our kids are different, it can be a struggle to identify exactly what we need to do to support them the best. (((hugs))) I hope that you and your family have the most Magical trip possible!

 

[Kenzientysmom]

Please don't waste any time worrying about what others may think. If I see an older child in diapers I assume there is an issue. If someone else doesn't - their thoughts are meaningless.

Thank you for this. I also have a son with SPD (hypo-sensitivity) who is still in pull-ups. I too often worry about what other people think.

 

[Orlandodreaming]

I didn't read all of the replies but my son has bathroom issues too. I really encourage you to contact a urologist constipation can cause pressure on the bladder that makes it difficult to impossible for him to tell when his bladder is getting full and cause him to need to go frequently. I would use diapers or Huggies pull-ups or overnights. The pull-ups have velcro on the sides so you can pull them off or put them on without taking off his pants and they are easy to pull down when toileting Im not sure if the overnights have the velcro. I would not put him in underwear that could cause cleanup issues you don't want to deal with. Again I really really encourage you to see the urologist it made a huge difference in my son. It hasn't fixed all the problems but we now usually have a 20 min warning and rarely have pee accidents anymore.

I agree that constipation probably does play some role in this (although he wasn't constipated for most of the time when he was in diapers 24/7 all the time and able to go whenever he wanted, it was only as he got older and I think we started putting pressure on him to potty train because we thought he was just being very stubborn that he started holding it in and going from pooping once a day to once every 3-4 days). When his pediatrician pressed on his belly, she said she could feel the poop in his gut. I'd say if he goes twice in a week now, that's a lot. I kick myself for pressuring him to stop going in a diaper, since I think with his sensory issues that was what was most comfortable for him and now he holds it in for as many days and as long as he can.

We've tried the fiber gummies -he says they taste weird, and won't eat them. Actually flipped out on me one day and had an epic meltdown over them. Tried the fiber stuff you put into a drink that is supposed to dissolve -he tasted it (doctor said he would, she was right). Obviously his poor diet makes his constipation worse, but until they can work on his sensory issues to get him eating more stuff, that's not going to get any better. And that's likely not a short term thing.

 

[Orlandodreaming]

Exactly! Use the tools at your disposal to have the best possible trip - whatever they are - and don't give a moment's thought to what anyone else thinks. To be honest, most other Guests are so wrapped up in their own vacation that they won't even notice your family - and if they do, so what? I make eye contact, smile the biggest smile I have, give them a cheery wave, and go on.

You are doing an awesome job! Kids don't come with an instruction manual to begin with, and when our kids are different, it can be a struggle to identify exactly what we need to do to support them the best. (((hugs))) I hope that you and your family have the most Magical trip possible!

I think I blame myself for not realizing that there were some special needs there. I mean, when you start potty training your child at 2, and at age 4 he's nowhere close to getting it despite trying every method and system out there, I should have gone looking for answers, but we assumed he was just stubborn and didn't believe him when he would say he couldn't feel that he had to go (meanwhile he'd be soaking wet) or that he had gone (sitting in a soiled diaper). I feel bad for getting angry at him. And then reading about SPD, all of the weird quirks he's had/has (sensitivity to clothes or other items, heavily resistant to things like cutting his nails, epic tantrums and meltdowns, etc) - none of that was typical, but because he was our first and because kids don't come with instructions, we rolled with the punches.

I certainly appreciate your wishes for a great vacation. He was talking tonight about how excited he is to ride Big Thunder Mountain again, but how he thinks it would be better if it had an upside down loop in it, lol.

 

[Orlandodreaming]

Thank you for this. I also have a son with SPD (hypo-sensitivity) who is still in pull-ups. I too often worry about what other people think.

It's hard not to, right? I shouldn't care, but as he gets older and he's becoming more of a "person" I feel awkward changing him or people seeing his pull-up (and let's be honest, it's a diaper, no matter what it's called), and I am learning how to let that go and do what is best for my son and for my family.

 

[Orlandodreaming]

Please don't waste any time worrying about what others may think. If I see an older child in diapers I assume there is an issue. If someone else doesn't - their thoughts are meaningless.

And this is true. I can't imagine that someone would think that he's in diapers just because, but I suppose if they really dared to say something, I'd quickly set them straight. I think its more that I imagine people are looking and making glances, but that's probably in my head.

Cute dog, by the way!

 

[SMD]

It's hard not to, right? I shouldn't care, but as he gets older and he's becoming more of a "person" I feel awkward changing him or people seeing his pull-up (and let's be honest, it's a diaper, no matter what it's called), and I am learning how to let that go and do what is best for my son and for my family.

My neighbor wasn't potty trained until just before Kindergarten, so almost 5 1/2. He wore baggy shorts and long t-shirts. Of course, some of us knew the reason, but I don't think most people passing could tell unless he pulled his shirt up. Just a very tiny child in very big clothes. Everyone has something that they're self-conscious about, but think about how you might feel in the opposite situation without a diaper. What if the CMs have to stop a ride to cover your ride vehicle while they call for a "code h" clean up. Or what if they have to rope off part of a queue and redirect people and call in a "code h" while you're exiting. What if an accident happens in a theater or restaurant? Would you honestly not inform the CMs that the seat has been soiled before the next guest uses it? By comparison, changing a diaper happens in private.

 

[Orlandodreaming]

My neighbor wasn't potty trained until just before Kindergarten, so almost 5 1/2. He wore baggy shorts and long t-shirts. Of course, some of us knew the reason, but I don't think most people passing could tell unless he pulled his shirt up. Just a very tiny child in very big clothes. Everyone has something that they're self-conscious about, but think about how you might feel in the opposite situation without a diaper. What if the CMs have to stop a ride to cover your ride vehicle while they call for a "code h" clean up. Or what if they have to rope off part of a queue and redirect people and call in a "code h" while you're exiting. What if an accident happens in a theater or restaurant? Would you honestly not inform the CMs that the seat has been soiled before the next guest uses it? By comparison, changing a diaper happens in private.

And this is exactly why I've had him in a pull-up when there even after he potty trained -because he goes so frequently and still now when he has to go it's very last minute warning. There have been times I know where he has told us he had to go while on a ride on 3/4 of the way through a line or in a show where we couldn't leave and an accident was avoided. I would never, ever want another guest to have to deal with a problem on their vacation because of his needs, or cause more work for cast members-that isn't fair to them.

My thinking now was "Gee, since he's older now should I just try to go without it" -but I don't think doing so would be realistic.