Late potty training - make me feel better!

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ds was three in Sept, and there is no sign of success re potty training so far. He cannot/will not EVER tell us if he needs to wee or poo. So if we don't spot the signs (no signs at all for weeing) then we miss the boat. The occupational therapist told us she thinks it may be sensory - ie he really doesn't feel it as much as other kids - but sometimes, if left nappyless with the potty nearby, he will wee and poo in the potty. He's uncoordinated so can't take off his trousers or nappy without a huge amount of effort and time - so he wouldn't have time to do this and get to the loo/potty on time. If put in pants he just wees in them and it doesn' t bother him. Now, I'm not panicking and am trying to be totally relaxed about this, but would love to hear inspiring stories of boys like mine who suddenly got it - and not in the dim and distant future either!

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I wouldn't bother spending months persuading them to sit on a potty, personally I don't have the time or the inclination!! Also what is the point if he is getting upset?

We ask dd to use the potty and she doesn't want to so I leave it at that.

Just wait till he wants to use it, then you have less stress and fewer accidents.

ds was 3.5 when we started potty training, as you may know he is autistic and so developmentally delayed. We had tried before then but he just didn't seem to get it. Your ds doesn't sound terribly old for a boy.

ds took to the potty quickly so it may be worth just waiting a few more months...

Unfortunately we had to have the bare bum for months because he would wee in pants but he did get there so I'd say that your ds was making a start.

It took another 6months before ds was abl eto ask for hte toilet outside but that could be due to his autism.

Oh, you know what it's like Eulalia, all his peers are potty trained la la la...! That's why I need Mumsnet, to remind me he's NOT alone and it's NOT our fault! So thanks

It's awful isn't it, the inadvertent pressure one feels from outside sources? One knows to never compare one's child, to follow their lead and allow their landmarks to be reached naturally, but then there's still always a little nagging 'shouldn't they be ... now ...?'

I've already posted on a different thread about this. DS was 3 a fortnight ago.i started potty training at the end of summer hols. He wasn't ready, but it was a really convenient time to do it, he was starting playgroup in Sept & they prefer them to be toilet trained, & also we could stay in more (during term time we're back & forwards to school & activities with dd aged 6). To cut a long story short we've persevered. Quickly binned the potty as he's really big and went straight to the loo (sit him on backwards, a tip from another thread which works really well). I still have to lift him on and off & he weighs a ton! He wasn't remotely bothered about being wet or pooey. I just took him to the loo every hour. Now he will sometimes ask for the loo, other times he'll not and I'd say we still get about 3 - 6 'accidents' per week. The other night I left him sitting watching a video while I did homework with dd, I'd left him for about 45 mins (yes I know how terrible & no it wasn't all homework!) & when I went back in he was happily watching video but I could smell a poo. When I changed him, it was obvious from the fact that it had moulded itself to the shape of his bum (too much info?) that it had been there a while, but he wasn't remotely bothered! He doesn't like being wet now and will tell me straight away. To summarise, he wasn't ready, I did it anyway and I feel we're getting there. I'd do it this way again as the summer hols was a really convenient time for me. However if you can wait, you'd probably make life easier for yourself! (We need new carpets & sofa anyway!!)