Pee Pee in the Potty, Pee Pee in the Potty! I think about 2 years into having a child this song is running through ever parent’s head! While most parents complain or speak of how difficult it was to potty train their toddler, comparing this to a special needs toddler potty training it’s a breeze!
The first key instance in all potty training is looking for signs of readiness! Easy right? That’s not always the case with a special needs kiddo! Due to developmental delays along with intellectual delay of a child with disabilities they do not have the capacity to show that readiness. Something to keep in mind when looking at your child’s needs are those delays and knowing where your child’s development level is at.
SHOWING SIGNS OF READINESS
To be completely honest I thought we would not even be discussing potty training in my house hold until Claire was closer to 5 or 6. I just doubted her and thought she didn’t have the coherent ability to understand what a toilet even was. Boy did she prove me wrong, she is 4 right now and we started the “potty” talk right around her 4th birthday in July! We are no where near being out of diapers or pull ups! But for me to be able to even say I can count on two hands how many times I have changed a poop diaper in the last 3-4 months is amazing!
Claire started showing physical signs when she was ready by grabbing her diaper when she started to pee. Another sign for her was when she did have a bowl movement she would dig in it, play in it, and eat it if we weren’t paying attention. “TMI” I know but its a legit thing that many parents go through and as disgusting as it can be, it happens! It’s embarrassing to even mention (insert the hand in face emoji) but I think this is common in some special needs children. Scott probably has the hardest time with this as he has a horrible gag reflex!! HAHAHA!
ISSUES WITH POTTY TRAINING
When I started talking with Claire’s neurologist about the “poop eating issue” she said it could be 1 of 2 things…1) She was ready to be potty trained or start the process (which I didn’t believe) or 2) she could be developing PICA disorder which can some times deal with a thyroid issue. Claire deals with some constipation which is consistent with her low muscle town issue and also the thyroid issue.
We decided to have her thyroid tested and realized her numbers were off on her thyroid after labs were done. Her endocrinologist put her on a thyroid medicine that seemed to help her levels at the time as well as her constipation. We have since then gotten off her thyroid medicine because he thought it was just a fluke in her lab work. I can tell her constipation though has gotten worse and we will be revisiting with him about her numbers and getting back on thyroid medicine.
The digging and eating issue doesn’t happen nearly as often now that she goes more frequently on the toilet. However, it still happens on occasion. This will be a continued learning process for her until she is aware that that is not okay for her to do. Currently she has no clue that’s not okay. We do fuss at her when it happens but with her and her behavior sometimes she thinks us getting on to her is funny! I will be right more on behavior later.
SUCCESSFUL KEY TIPS
One of the other things her neurologist mentioned for us to ROUTINELY start doing was putting her on the potty about 20 mins after dinner ever night. This was probably one of the things that has been the biggest success with us! Training her bowl movements to need to go at the same time in the evenings. I didn’t think that would be as easy as it was. We started sticking her on there 20-30 mins after she ate and would let her sit there, read books, or sing to her until she finally started having the urge. It just started happening!
We do not use a potty “chair” we use a potty “ring”. Partly because I wanted her to get used to sitting on the actual toilet. She does pretty good if we have to go without the little green seat ring topper. She has figured how to hold her self up with some small assistance from us if she doesn’t have the ring on the toilet. I have linked the ring we use here. Plus it’s only $7.00 so much cheaper and easier to store away! You can see a better look at it below.
We have also tried to implement sign language with Claire since she is not fully verbal and her speech is delayed. The sign for potty is something we constantly use. We use it when we ask her if she needs to go or if she just went. Pretty soon we started noticing instead of her grabbing her diaper when she went pee, she would use her sign. Even though she would wet her diaper, I would tell her “Potty (signing), did you go potty in your diaper?” I would then put her on the toilet even though she just went in her diaper. I did this to help correlate the two! The urge to know she needs to “pee” is different and harder for her to recognize, but she slowly has started to do it ever now and then!
ROUTINE + FREQUENCY = REWARD
I have stated before with Claire’s behavior as many children with disability…routine is KEY! Frequency and taking them often even if you know they don’t have to go at that time is KEY! I would recommend not to “stress” you child out about this and make sure to start it at a good time where you know you can focus on this. We started during the summer when we had more down time. Pick a frequency that isn’t too stressful for your child though. You know how overstimulated they can become with new things so just pay attention to how your child is reacting to it.
Remember accidents happen. With Claire being a special needs child we tread lightly with this one. We do this strictly because we know her cognitive thought process on the potty training is delayed. When accidents do happen and she goes in her diaper rather than telling us she needs to go on toilet, I just remind her of the process. I still take her if she tells me even though I know she won’t go…she thinks she will still get a turn on the M&M candy machine (her reward similar to this one) but that is not the case! We tell her “you went in your diaper, not in the toilet”, she gets frustrated that we don’t let her have the candy. But then when she really does get this down correctly and tells us, then goes properly…the reward is even sweeter for her!
ICING ON THE CAKE
One last thing that makes the potty training fun for her…which it has now become a game so we had to get locks on the doors…HA! FLUSHING the toilet herself! It is her absolute favorite thing about it all. After she started going consistently once a day on there, I taught her how to flush the toilet herself. She LOVES water, so this is so cool to her! You can see above she tries to flush even when she is going! Ha!
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Overall, this can be a difficult issue with special needs children. You don’t want them to live in diapers forever, but at the same time you don’t want to push them to try this when they aren’t ready. That could be very traumatic for them.
We know the language of our child. We know when they are ready for new things whether it be introducing them to a new food, new car seat or new bed! This is no different. If you think they are ready, take the step. If they aren’t no big deal! Step back, go back to what you were doing and introduce it later again when they show more interest.
Good Luck! If you have had success with your little one I would love to know your tips and tricks below in the comments!
