Determining the readiness of one's child with special needs in terms of potty training can be very difficult as they need extra care and attention.
Parents do not focus on negative setbacks which are in fact inevitable in any case and they treat such as opportunities to discover their child's improvements and to demonstrate to them that they are able to move forward.
According to Healthy Children , perhaps more than other parents, those who have kids with developmental disabilities can acknowledge the value of the toilet-training process as a way to recognize a child's overall growth.
Potty Training works best when parents of children with special needs have access to the direction, guidance, and encouragement of the pediatrician, and other trained professionals including school personnel.
The primary step is to determine whether the child is ready to start potty training.
Assessing The Readiness
Abigail Bunt, Co-Founder and Executive Director of MeBe, parents must begin with one epic potty training weekend and let the child consume its own time naked and provide them plenty of fluids and try to catch them when they need to go.
Parents must evaluate and look for the signs that their child is uncomfortable when they're wet or soiled. Such signs are indications that the kids are ready for potty training.
Furthermore, if kids are running into a lot of resistance behavior when trying to move into the transition from diapers to toilets then that only means the concept of potty training may be too early for them.
Give it a few months and try again.
Bunt stated that parents need to explain to their child the bathroom time and during that time, parents must read the behavior shown by their kids throughout the weekends and if their child is causing some minimal accidents then change the scheduled bathroom break every 30 minutes to help them get used of it, per MeBe .
Read Also: Professional Potty Trainers: Why More Parents Are Hiring Consultants For Their Kids
Get The Hang Of It
If the readiness can be seen from the child, immediately ask your pediatrician for their opinion as they can examine your child and offer physical assessment and special insight into the specific needs of your child. They can also provide supplementary information that parents may need before starting and inform parents what kinds of special equipment may be advisable.
Parents of children who need extra care need to prepare themselves emotionally before the child begins the process. Children with some conditions may always need assistance with their clothing and might need to get to the bathroom. Few will develop innovative ways of obtaining independence.
Elizabeth Jordan MA (Master of Arts) and BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst), stated that two weeks of nonstop accidents are somehow extreme and a month is too long. Don't be scared to reach out to experienced therapists as they will assist and work with you at home.
According to Wonder Baby , instead of working on potty training in the small potty seat that is placed on the floor, try to get your child on the real toilet as soon as you see their readiness as this will gradually make them understand where they are heading as the main goal of the parents is to get them on that toilet.
Such will solidify the idea of the toilet for them.
Assist your child while on the potty and consider installing handicap rails as it will also support your child.
Related Article: A 7-step Plan to Potty Training your Nonverbal Child with Autism
