How to potty train a 2&1/2yr old who can't talk?

[Sharrow]

Hi all, I'm new to this game so please bear with me !
My ds is now using the potty very well when wandering around the house with nothing on his bottom half. I leave the potty in the middle of the living room and he will go and use it of his own accord for both poos and wees - no accidents at all anymore. However, I'm slightly stumped as how to progress as he doesn't talk yet ( another subject )and wouldn't be able to ask for the potty clearly enough for me to act in time.
I don't want to use pull ups but feel the just go for it scenario would be too much at the moment and just be counter productive, undoing all the good work so far ( he is Sooo pleased with himself every time he does it! ).
I have considered 'teaching' him a word for potty as he does have a handful of words, sounds which equate to words and signs and trying to get him to ask for the potty when it is hidden but he his still bare on the bottom. What does anyone think of this idea, does anyone have experience of a similar situation or any experts with some good tips ?
Thank you in advance for any replies - I've already been greatly helped by just reading Mumsnet talk but eventually decided it was time to ask for help directly.
Kind regards, Sharrow

Hi Sharrow ... welcome to Mumsnet! (Always wanted to say that!)
Have you tried going just one step further and putting underpants on him when you are in the house but don't change anything else (so still leave the potty in the living room etc). Maybe he will get the hang of pulling his pants down ...
Our DS was brilliant at using the potty when he had nothing on when he was 2 and a half ... but it needed a bit of practice with pants on ...
I learned to wait until he was really ready to potty train ... so tried at 2 and a half - great at doing it with nothing on but hopeless at doing with clothes on ... so we gave it a rest (but continued with no pants on in the house) and tried again when he was 2 and 10 months and he 'got it' in 48 hours ...
If your DS is still only 2 and a half there is no real rush is there? Unless of course he has to be dry before going to a kindergarten or something ?
Sorry this reply is a bit rambling ... what I am saying is maybe don't jump to the next stage too quickly ... he sounds like he is on the right track so maybe give him a bit more time ...
OK, I will stop now ... HTH!

Hiya Sharrow, with dd1 and dd2 I always found weaning horrendous and with dd1 I found potty training horrendous, I've another few months before I start with dd2.

What I did when I got to the same stage with dd1 is bought her a little toilet seat that fits very easily on the adult toilet and a little stool so that she could climb easily.

The transition from potty to toilet took literally hours, she was so chuffed to be using the grown up toilet, she used to disappear and when I went to look for her she'd be sat on the toilet reading a book.

The toilet seat and the stool cost around £10.00 altogether from Mothercare and was a fantastic buy in my eyes as it made toilet training very easy.

As for your ds not speaking don't worry, my friends ds has only just starting making sentences that I can understand and he is 4.

Hope this helps. Also beware of mumsnet, it can become addictive. (though a fab site)

Hi Sharrow!
Welcome! Just a thought, I work with little kids and when we're singing they learn some Makaton signs. There is one for toilet, how about teaching him that? I taught it to mine because there's nothing worse than being in the middle of the supermarket and a loud voice shouting I NEED A POO! Your Health Visitor/Nursery should know some signs, I think, but if not, get back to me and I'll send you a picture. Good Luck!

Sharrow-

I have the same problme but my ds1 is three and a half. He knows when he needs to go, and sometimes will take himself to the toilet- drop his trousers then wee on the floor. Or else he wets himself then takes his trousers off then comes and find me. He usually feels poos, so off come the trousers and he poos on the floor.

I don't know. If he's in the same room he will say "mmdan" (toilet) very quietly. Or he'll stop. If I then say "do you want the toilet" he'll rush upstairs and then go. Sometimes he does it on the toilet. My approach so far has been to try and really really really praise him when he does manage to go on the toilet. And the rest of the time just say "tell Mummy when you want to go to the toilet" calmly, no fuss etc.

We can't use makaton as he can't sign (can't copy and is dyspraxic- can't even wave bye bye properly). He does use PECS but isn't keen to use the toilet symbol.

Sharrow- just to add I've found that keeping ds1 in nappies (pull ups) doesn't help- he's much more aware when he's in pants. We just get alot of soggy clothes. I do put him in nappies when we go out, but he's scared of other toilets generally anyway (he's scared of our downstairs one as well). I'll tackle that problem later.

"expert" advice is pretty useless ime. There is a good book on potty training childen on the autistic spectrum- which would be useful for you as obviously lots of ASD children can't talk so it may have strategies to get round that. Maybe it's in your library- or maybe your HV has it or something or could lay her hands on it.

It sounds like he's doing really well. Good luck and let me know if you manage it- I'd love to know how.....

Hi there. My daughter is 2 and a half and profoundly deaf. We haven't started potty training (waiting til its warmer) but there may be one or two useful ideas for you in the way that we communicate with her, as she doesn't talk either (she's learning to sign). When she can't or won't sign to tell us that she wants something, she often just goes to point at it - just as good as a method of communication, as long as she knows where a thing is - so you could keep the potty in view and make sure to introduce the location of the loo when away from home. The other thing is photos. Give him a photo of a loo (really..), to produce or point to when he wants to go - its a pre-lingual technique generally used for things like selecting food (ie. photo of weetabix vs. shreddies) or generally asking for something. If he is anything my daughter (and most other pre-lingual toddlers) he will understand most things, even if he is not talking back, so he may get idea if you explain it. May also help with the development of language. Just some thoughts, sorry if they are not appropriate!