Potty training..will only use potty when naked!

[wivinie1]

I'm trying to potty train and we've reached an impasse and I'm very confused.

Some context..my son is 3.5 years old, non-verbal and I would say he understands 70-80 of what we say to him. Before starting I read lots of books, I waited for the signs and knew he was ready (dry nights, showing interest, placing my hand on his pee pee when he was peeing etc)

Where we are now...started potty training on Monday (so now day 5), first day we had lots of accidents and I was doubting if we are actually ready...second day we had a break through he would bring his nappy pants to me when he wanted to use the potty (rather than the thousand of toilet PEC symbols I had printed and laminated 🤷🏾‍♀️) and I would take him to the toilet and he would go to the potty...third day was similar to second day but yesterday when we went to the potty he would take off all his clothes and then use the potty!! This happened all day yesterday and today! Also today for the first time we have regressed to where his back to peeing in his training pants.
When we do make it to the toilet, It's a sight to see because I'm trying to stop him from fully undressing (unsuccessfully) but also worried he will miss the potty so it has ended up with various state of undress but still managed to use the potty.

I'm worried this will become entrenched and he will only use the toilet when undressed...which is okay at home but not in school or public area or he will regress completely.

I've been racking my brain for what has gone wrong and I've tried to just reinforce and give lots of encouragement just for using the potty and I'm at a lost on the undressing situation.

Any advice or suggestions?

This isn’t that unusual actually, especially in DC who have sensory needs. I would focus on using the potty in whatever state of undress for now.

Thank you.❤️.that's good to know.

DS didn’t do this at potty train age, although he was often naked at home anyway then. He’s 12 now and takes his T-shirt and jumper off if he needs a poo and puts them back on afterwards. Not an issue at school.

Oddly it seemed to start within days of an OT asking if me if he undressed when he used the loo. At the time he didn’t so I thought it was a very odd question, but once he started doing it it made sense from a sensory point of view. A lot of his sensory issues seem to have changed as he’s gotten older. Some are worse and some are better, so just because it’s happening now doesn’t mean it will happen forever, although I appreciate that it’s always a worry when you think a habit might form. I’d roll with it and make the whole using the potty experience positive so he wants to continue with it.