Toilet Training SEND Twins

[fluffy71]

I was wondering if anyone could advise? I am an LSA at a small primary assisting 6yr old non verbal twins with quite pronounced learning difficulties. I have been toilet training the children along with a colleague since September and one child is making real progress though the other is not. We have a star chart and provide lots of encouragement and prompting and a sticker for going and sitting on the toilet which the children are eager to participate in.

For the last hour and a half of the day, I am the sole carer for the twins. I spend 90% of this time on my own (post lunch) in the toilet with one or both of the children, reading stories whilst they sit on the loo. One child is either not pooing at all at school or having huge explosions every few days (for want of a better description). This child is showing no signs of being aware of feeling wet and will often come off the toilet after ten mins and proceed to do a poo in the classroom whilst playing. The teacher suggested that pull ups may be best for the time being with pants underneath so the child can still feel wetness but accidents can be contained and not all over clothes, back, legs etc. Mom does not want to do this as she feels it will undermine the work she is doing at home. The children use a potty at home as they are waiting for OT to provide a disabled toilet seat and rail and they are in nappies at night. I'm at a loss what to do! Has anyone successfully toilet trained SEND twins and if so what did you do? I

Can you use the same strategies their mum is using? Can they use a potty at school? The professionals involved should also be supporting. Have they had OT assessments that don’t just focus on the equipment needed? Do they have ongoing OT input, including sensory OT? Are they under the continence service?

Is at leat one of the DTs being treated for constipation?

Thankyou, I will ask these questions. OT should be doing more to help the family, it seems they have been left to wait, which is appalling.

If OT is required, it should be in section F of their EHCPs and therefore must be provided and can be enforced.

Yeah school installed toilet seat seats and rails and step but nothing at home. Would Section F apply to home too? (Forgive my ignorance, it’s my first role with SEN children).

Section F is any special educational provision. Any health care provision that educates or trains is actually deemed to be special educational provision and belongs in F. Any health care provision that doesn’t educate or train belongs in G.

My mentioning of OT should be in section F was in relation to the “ongoing OT input, including sensory OT” I mentioned in a previous post. OT provision should be doing more than providing equipment for school (and home). Although sometimes provision can be provided away from school too.