Disabled toilet debate in "chat" I need opinions, please.

[Ineedmorepatience]

As most of you know I have a Dd with Asd, she is in mainstream school and is academically able. She does however have significant difficulties with sensory issues.

Public toilets have always been a challenge for us its either too smelly, there is a queue, the toilets are dirty or the hand dryers are horrendously loud!

This came to a head on our most recent holiday when I struggled to get her in at all and had lots of judgy people glaring at me when I left her by the door until a cubicle was free and then called her in, thus jumping the queue

Anyway when we got back I ordered a RADAR key so that this wont happen again.

Today a thread has been running on chat about using disabled toilets and now I am doubting myself and thinking that Dd3 maybe shouldnt be using the disabled toilets after all!

So what do you think, am I being unreasonable to allow her to use them? She is getting big now and I cant just manoever her into the ladies. Or should I be more strict with her and just hope she wont refuse outright.

Not a life or death dilemma I know but I hate being judged!

[bigbluebus]

2old I do the same as you. DD is doubly incontinent and in a wheelchair, but not a cat in hells chance of changing her in a disabled loo these days. But sometimes when we are out, I need to use the loo and I can't leave her by herself, so the disabled loo is the only option. Don't get any funny looks from Joe public though because she is in a wheelchair.
I actually got our Radar key when DS (who is 2 years younger than DD) was toilet training. It would have been impossible to get into a toilet quickly with a wheelchair if I was out on my own with both of them, so I used it for him too until he was old enough to go in the gents by himself - and I don't give a damn what other people think.

[2old2beamum]

Thanks bigblue pleased to know I am not the only one. I have never had any funny looks!
Good luck

[Ineedmorepatience]

Thanks everyone. I have put the radar key on a key ring in the car so we dont forget it when we go out.

We are going on holiday next week so will definitely be using it then

[TimidLivid]

This helpedme I was in despair last weekend trying to queue up to take ds to toilet screaming and kicking in his buggy people staring hand driers going off in asda and it was radar key for the disabled loo so I just had to leave with him pull ups wet and dripping went to another part of the mall where a cleaner let me use different unlocked loos. I was wondering how can I get a key Other ds is also asd And 14 it would have really helped if I had known when he was younger. So these threads helped as I have ordered a key for them.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Great timid I am glad the thread has helped you. Sorry you had such a bad experience in Asda though

[claw2]

Its such a shame that people choose to express their opinions out loud. Ds used to use the disabled toilet and have no problem with using it.

However he has ASD and continence difficulties, he is not deaf and now refuses to use the disabled toilets or the ladies because of loud comments made to us.