Toilet training DD3 - encouragement needed!

[theheadgirl]

My DD3 is 6 years old and will be going into y2 in september. She has Downs syndrome, but more significantly to her, has ASD, meaning she's classed as having a severe learning difficulty. Has no language, but understands and uses some Makaton and PECS. Those are the difficulties, but on the plus side, she's very mobile (runs, climbs, jumps) and when she wakes, her nappy is always dry (until she does a huge wee 10 mins after getting up!) This, to me, says she has a good bladder capacity.
So I think its time to have a go at toilet training - anyone had any success with a child like my Issy? Even if you have no prior experience, any suggestions gratefully received.

No real advice but just wanted to wish you good luck.

does she let you know that she knows when she is wet?
i spent a year toilet training my three!

OJ, no doesn't let me know, but I can tell when she's doing a poo. Due to autism, doesn't try to tell me much, apart from she wants food and drink. I think wearing the nappies, she doesn't always know that she's wet, so my first step will be pants in the house so she gets that sensation. Someone also suggested pants inside a nappy so she gets to be aware she's wet, but I don't have to cope with wet marks in the car!

Coppertop, thanks for good wishes, am prepared, as OJ as pointed out, for it to take a good while.....

yes i think it was me that suggested pants under nappies!
does your DD accept praise?
i have two that do praise and one that doesn't

Thanks Christie, she's a love isn't she

I've got a meeting at her special school for her annual statement review, and have let them know that I want to discuss toilet training for the year ahead. She's made some progress with her concentration this year at school - she sits beautifully for circle time, in a normal chair with no seat belt, and she now occasionally plays appropriately for 10 mins or so with certain toys. So you never know, we may get there given time.

OJ, she loves praise, she loves to make people laugh (again, and again, and again, and.....)
And she knows when she's in trouble.

well go with the praise then! have you got bear in the blue house potty time video,
it came too late for my three but it is very good and fun.

No, not heard of that video, will look out for it.

what things motivate your very lovely DD?
i had a different plan for each of my three
DD 1 hates praise with her she had trouble getting her to sit on the loo, but those foil wrapped choc footballs worked she could have one when sat on the loo, i let her undo it herself cos it took her longer!
the idea was to get her just to sit then very slowly we moved the goalposts until she was doing wees.
DD 2 we did similar but with a small toy we had a see throu box (out of reach, but in her view)firstly she got a toy for sitting then we moved it slowly to a wee then a toy.
DS was a challenge far too busy jumping & flapping to sit down, we have a portable video player which we put in the bathroom with thomas the sodding tank engine we would press play then press pause and tell him to sit on toilet and we would press play, if he got up we would press pause, this worked very well.
we never used pottys cos knew it would then be hard to transfer to a toilet.

Songs and finger rhymes hold her attention. And when she's tired she loves a foot massage!