Planning - Ready video transcript

In this video I will talk about how you can plan and prepare to begin toilet training with your child.

 

Before starting toilet training it can be useful to track what your child is eating or drinking and when they do poos and wees. This information can then be used to prompt toileting at certain times. For example, if you can see your child usually does a wee approximately an hour after having a drink, you will know what time to encourage them to go to the bathroom. This then helps by starting to create a relationship between needing the toilet and the toilet itself.

 

To do this, you can download an example of a toileting diary from the link on this page or make your own to suit your needs if you prefer.

 

There can be certain unnecessary barriers for autistic children that are focussing on toilet training and removing some of these can go a long way to supporting their independence.

 

For example, they may benefit from adaptations to the toilet to ensure they are sitting in a comfortable position, such as a seat reducer with an integrated step, as shown on this slide. On the next slide we have some other examples as well.

 

As the focus is on toilet training, loose fitting clothing or pull ups may be appropriate and make it easier for your child to access the toilet rather than focusing on fiddly buttons or zips.

 

Autistic children find generalisation of skills more challenging. Therefore, sometimes introducing a potty actually adds another barrier to being able to use the toilet itself. They may learn to use the potty but then find it hard to generalise that learning to the toilet, meaning they would then need to learn the toileting routine again at a later stage. It may be worth skipping the step of the potty and instead focusing directly on them being comfortable in the bathroom and working towards the goal of using the toilet.

 

Again, whatever strategies or methods you decide, work with nursery or school to ensure they are using the same as you, including the same equipment, or visuals, or potty, if you do decide to use one.

 

We saw an example of a seat that can be used for the toilet on the previous slide. It’s important to note that the adaptation that you choose can help your child to feel more secure and comfortable when sitting on the toilet or starting their toilet training journey. Consider the material that you choose, and what you child feels comfortable on, so a soft seat, versus a hard seat. If you have a child who finds balancing difficult you might want to consider a seat with handles or providing a step so that their feet reach a surface and aren’t dangling when they’re sitting on the toilet.

 

As we have discussed in earlier videos, adapting the bathroom environment can contribute to the success of toilet training, especially if your child has sensory processing difficulties. I am going to summarise a few of the strategies that we have looked at and provide some other potential solutions, depending on the sense.

 

There could be too may fragrances in the bathroom. This could be from air fresheners, the soap used to wash your hands, or any bodywash, shampoo or toiletries in general. It may be that the bathroom smells more just after someone has had a shower, bath or used the toilet, so that the time you take your child to the toilet for toilet training can be something to consider.

 

If there are too many visual inputs, this can be over stimulating. Depending on your child’s needs, you might want to consider whether it would help to turn off or dim the lights before your child goes to the bathroom. Or think about whether there is too much light coming through any windows. You might want to think about how you could adapt this.

 

If there are lots of noises in the bathroom, you could turn off any appliances, such as fans, or remove any noises that you know your child finds distressing. Your child could also wear earplugs, or ear defenders. You could play music that they enjoy while they are on the toilet, or use any white noise sounds, such as running water.

 

As we have mentioned, your child’s comfort on the toilet is essential. You could try a padded seat, as they are generally softer and keep warmer. If your child is sensitive to toilet paper, try wet wipes or a wet flannel. This will make the overall experience of toileting much nicer for them, and more comfortable.

 

If your child is constantly seeking movement, you could try them wearing a weighted vest, or holding a heavy item whilst on the toilet. This helps their body to know where it is in space and helps them to feel more stable. You could also consider using a vibrating cushion. This is something that they can hold or can sit on their lap. They’re proven to help with relaxation and improve focus on tasks, especially for self-care. And you can use any of the adaptations that we looked at on the previous slide, such as a ring reducer, a step for them to put their feet on, or any arm supports. The more stable they feel on the toilet, the less likely they are to want to fidget or get up and leave.

 

These are just a few examples, there may be other factors that affect your bathroom, so use what you know about your child and your home context to think about what you might need to adapt. Try it and see what works. Any adaptations you make can take some time for your child to get used to. It’s important to use them consistently and, where possible, to have the same adaptations at nursery or school.

 

There are lots of resources out there to help support your child’s understanding of toileting and what is expected. For example, you can use books. Here is one that’s themed around Thomas the tank engine, but you can choose one that your child is motivated by.

 

You could also design your own social story about toileting, incorporating the steps of your routine. You can use pictures of your child, or a character that they find motivating. Below is an example of how Peppa Pig has been used. If you are unsure about how to make a social story, you can come to one of our Next steps sessions or talk to the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) at your child’s school or nursery.

 

Finally, here is an example of a cartoon that can be used which shows all the stages of toileting. It’s called Tom’s toilet triumph. The link is here on this slide but also in a clickable version in the text on this webpage. It has both a boy and a girl in the cartoon. A cartoon can be really useful if your child is not yet accessing visuals or is less motivated by books. You could even use picture frames from the cartoon to create a visual strip.

 

As well as resources such as these, when thinking about teaching the stages of toileting, it’s also helpful to start modelling how to use the toilet, by letting your child watch you or their siblings, when they are going to the toilet. Watching others carry out the steps in the routine will help them to learn what you expect from them.

 

And remember, whatever method you choose, liaise with the nursery or school, so that they can start using the same resources. It’s really important to be consistent, so that they learn how to use the toilet both at home, and at nursery or school.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch this video from the social communication team. We hope you have found it useful.

 

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