Any potty training tips for a child with pdd-nos?

[tinkerbelletreasure]

My son is almost 3. He hasn't had any formal diagnosis, but his therapist and we agree that is most likely what he has. Normally I wouldn't push him into potty training until I think he's ready, sinc ehe hates to be pushed into anything, but he will be starting a developmentally delayed preschool in August and his teacher said they will be taking him to the potty there and I want him to be fairly used it by then so it isn't as tramatic having a stranger force him.
We bought him a potty, and we try to put him on it for a few minutes everyday, but he just screams and cries. He's gotten to where he almost won't goin the bathroom because he doesn't want to be made it sit on it. Does anyone have any advice? I don't expect him to be potty trained by August, I just don't want him freaking out anymore when we aren't going to be there to comfort him.

 

[Julia Says]

We used the (link is a .pdf) Foxx & Azrin method for potty training. Lots of positive reinforcement, and even more repetition (accidents result in repeated trips back and forth to the toilet and being told "peepee goes in the potty," but no negatives). Start with rewards just for going in the bathroom, if necessary, and work your way up. We used stickers, sprite, a favorite snack, and a rice tub for rewards, but they get scaled back pretty quickly. I know food rewards are controversial, but it worked for us and we only used them for a couple of days.

My kiddo has moderate autism, and was potty trained completely at 4 years, 6 months (it took just over a month from start to finish).

Good luck!

 

[PinballFamily]

We were at the 4.5 age level too, before I'd say "totally" trained. DS now is 10/PDD-NOS)

The positive reinforcement helped a lot - when the time was "right" - he was at least 3 (maybe 3.5), we also did "big boy" Disney underwear and weaned off the diapers. (Totally stopped the overnight ones, too. They were TOO absorbent and he didn't feel wet.) I think it made a difference.

Good luck!

 

[bookwormde]

delayed "potty training" is the standard for our kids. I think it is a combination of sensory differences and not having the NT social impetus. There are some good videos for kids and that is a good place to start.

bookwormde

 

[NJMomma]

My son with PDD NOS wasn't trained until he was almost 4 - about 2 weeks before his fourth b-day. He just wasn't ready before then. I tried, we watched videos and read books to him (all of which he enjoyed and requested!). Then he just "got it", and was trained completely in about a week. I think just taking him to the potty, giving him rewards for any use of the potty productive of not (whatever works - M&M's here) and books and videos. He'll do it when he's ready, but ready for him might be later than ready for others. I had "friends" who gave me a very hard time about him not being potty trained, like it was any of their business! good luck

 

[bookwormde]

It is funny that you can push our kids all you want to no avail, but when they are ready and you find the "key" it happens with almost no effort.

bookwormde

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

I'm not suprised it usually happens that late. I am kind of suprised that they push it in his preschool class since his teacher is supposed to be an expert in kids on the autism spectrum. Like I said before, my main goal is just to make sure this isn't going to be a tramic part of his school day.

 

[deerhart]

both my boys potty trained at 3 years 8 months 2 weeks give or take a few (yes they were almost the exact same age when each potty trained it was weird).

With my oldest we had to follow a more autism way then normal.

We started out with just allowing him time to play in the bathroom at set times throughout the day. Then we moved to having him sit on the potty during these times (and play). We then moved to removing the pull ups. By that time we had him pee trained but not #2. We were in the process of actually going through cutting larger and larger holes in the pull ups when he finally trained. (my youngest just got up one day and was completely trained. He fought us tooth and nail up until then)

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I work in a special needs preschool class. We never, ever force our kids to sit on the toilet or even enter the bathroom if they are really scared. That just delays the process. We encourage potty training. We talk about it at circle time and during diaper changes. We discuss with the parents how it's going at home. If the parents say the kids are scared or adamently opposed to it, we don't push it. We just tell the parents to tell us when they're ready for us to help. We never initiate or push the process. We feel that really needs to be done at home. We only have the kids for a maximum of 15 hours a week. The rest of their time is spent at home. We support any efforts the parents make but it really needs to start with them. Most of our kids train closer to 4, some earlier.

If you son is truly afraid of the bathroom, you can request that the classroom staff introduce him to it very slowly. They certainly shouldn't force him and I would question any special needs preschool program that does that.

 

[bookwormde]

Anytime I hear the term "Autism expert" I have to laugh since there are only a handful in the world and all of them openly admit that they have lots to learn so they are not really experts.

bookwormde

 

[Rekenna]

Hi! Our DS2 is Autistic. We are starting a potty training class (for adults-it's strategies to assist people with Autism with using the toilet). This is being offered at our local Children's Hospital-do you know if there are any programs in your area similar to this? Like I said we are just getting ready to get started with it, so hopefully it will be worthwhile.

We have 2 older DS's and they both trained at 3yrs, 1mo. We haven't even begun with DS2 just yet. From what I have read positive reinforcement seems to be the key-so we will definetly try that approach.

Good luck to you and your peep, it will work out!

BTW-DS2 will also start special needs pre-school in the fall and I am nervous about it, especially b/c at this point he is non-verbal and can't tell me what's going on-I think this is what I struggle with the most.

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm not suprised it usually happens that late. I am kind of suprised that they push it in his preschool class since his teacher is supposed to be an expert in kids on the autism spectrum. Like I said before, my main goal is just to make sure this isn't going to be a tramic part of his school day.

I agree with the other posters who said most programs won't really push it.
Let the teacher know your concerns and they should work with you.

Positive reinforcement is the key. Toilet training is one place where the child is in control - you can't make them pee or poop.
I remember reading some things when I was a Public Health Nurse referring to it as Toilet TEACHING, not Toiling Training. A small distinction, but important.

I am going to move this to the disABILITIES Community Board where it will be on topic.

 

[cogero]

My DS will be 2.5 tomorrow and we are actually going to start potty training in the next month since he is always tugging at his diaper as soon as it is soiled.

I am not going to push it just go with it and see if it will work out.

I was waiting for him to have his tonsils out and we are still dealing with the possiblity of a hearing loss with him so I want to take it slow but he now knows yes and no so I figure I can go from there.

He also has a PDD-NOS diagnosis.

 

[JACH1976]

-

 

[lucigo]

I will share with you what worked for my child since I've never actually seen anyone else talk about it, but it worked very well for us.

I took pictures of DS3 in every stage of pottying, and as close as
possible to his point of view of what it would look like, and then
made a power point program out of them with the words and voice. For
instance taking off his pants, sitting on the potty, and yes a
picture of the actual pee coming out (and since he had never actually
DONE it I had my older child photoshop it in!!), flush, wash your
hands, dry your hands, and then the last slide...the motivator - for
him it was mario kart. So, my clueless almost 4-yo watched this
video over and over and over and then he disappeared into the
bathroom where I found him sitting on the potty and realized he had
GONE TO THE BATHROOM and I missed it!!

I wish I could say that was all it took, but we still had a few weeks
of letting him go bare from the waist down, and poo took a little
longer, with me catching him in the act and running him to the
bathroom, but he was back into clothes by the time he was about 4-
2/12. By this time it was summer and he didn't have any accidents at
home or at school, or at camp. A few months later he was actually saying "go potty" on occasion, but mostly he would just go on his own. Whenever we were in a new place I would have to show him where the potty is so that he knows where to go if he needs it.

If you don't know how to make a power point video a picture book
would probably work as well, we did the power point because my son
absolutely loves the computer. (Incidentally we had also used a
power point to teach him the names of his family members.)

So....good luck, let us know how it goes!!!

 

[tinkerbelletreasure]

Thanks for the ideas!
I guess I came off a little harsh about the preschool pushign it...they said it was a normal part of thier routine. Part of my son's issues though is that he absolutely hates to have his clothes taken off in public. It's a struggle to change him in a public restroom because he freaks out when you pull his pants down. Now if we are home, he'll run around in just a diaper and be perfectly happy.
I know it's more of a routine they are tryign to teach them. They call them by their full names to come to the potty and there are several steps that they go through. It just stresses me out that I know it is going to bother him and i can't be there to comfort him.
The babysitter he has now is really good about just going with whatever idosyncrasies crop with his condition and rarely makes him do anything that he makes a major fuss at. She did let him switch to paint prushed for art projects because he flipped out at having finger paint on his hands!