Potty Training Help/Ideas Please!

[Guest guest]

Hi Lynn.  I remember how much I wanted to potty-train my daughter with autism. 

When she was three I attended a seminar (in Dallas, Texas) on how to potty-train

your child with autism.  The speaker was Batts, and she has written a

book called Road to Independence - Independence Skills Training for Special

Needs Children.  Anyway, I followed her recommendations, and my daughter was

completely trained in one week, a month before her 4th birthday.  Her autism is

moderate to severe, so we were so proud of this accomplishment. 

 

That was six years ago, but what I remember about the process is that my

daughter loved, loved, loved Bob the Builder at the time, and we turned our

powder room into the Bob the Builder bathroom.  Totally decked out with

balloons, streamers, Bob the Builder books and toys, and even a CD playing the

Bob the Builder theme.  We kept the bathroom locked, and Maddie could only go in

there when she sat on the potty.  And all of a sudden she wanted to sit on the

potty!  

 

The other thing I remember is we made a book with all the steps involved in

going to the bathroom.  We took pictures of Maddie sitting on the potty,

pictures of the toilet paper, the toilet handle, the sink, the soap, the towel,

etc.  We had a very simple text with lots of Bob the Builder stickers in the

book, which we laminated, and she always wanted to read her book on the

potty.   And when she went to the bathroom, we really made a big deal about it,

cheering her on, hooping and hollering, high-fiving and singing Bob the

Builder.  Kind of silly, but it worked for her.  She WANTED to go to the

bathroom! 

 

It was a lot of work, but of course, it was worth it in the end. Does your

daughter have an obessive interest you might work with?  Create a special

bathroom just for her.  Best of luck to you.  CAN YOU DO IT?   YES YOU CAN!