Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Flip

Original poster

Potty trainnig

21 replies

fairydust · 15/08/2004 17:39

I don't know were to start - dd's health visitor and physio have said now would be a good time to think about potty trainnig -

i just don't know were to start although dd is getting around in her own way and can now say wee wee mentally i just don't think she under stands that you do a wee wee on the potty - she's at the stage as well were she doesn't want to wear a nappy any more.

any words of wisdom please

OP posts:

coppertop · 15/08/2004 18:36

Ds1 is busy mastering the art of potty-training at the moment (we're using a potty as he still has a phobia about our toilet).

He started off by sitting on the potty with no nappy or pants on. I gave him extra drinks to help him on his way. When he used the potty for the first time we made a big fuss of him. Each time he used the potty he got a sticker (2 stickers for a poo ) as he's not keen on chocolate and sweets.

He then decided he wanted to wear pants so we let him wear them. When he had got the hang of pulling them up/down he decided he wanted to wear trousers too.

At the beginning they don't seem to give much warning of when they need to go so it might be a good idea to have several potties around the house so that dd doesn't have to hurry too far.

BlossomHill · 15/08/2004 19:35

Also, putting a nappy "over" a potty can be helpful as it is a visual clue.
With my dd (who has language disorder) I tried from about the age of 2-2.5 and realised that she really wasn't ready as I don't think she actually understood at all what she needed to do. So I put the potty away and relaxed about it for a few months occasionally bringing out the potty but not making too much of an issue. I also took her to the toilet with me and also when ds went just so she had an idea of what to do and that really seemed to help.
I would also sit her on the potty and read to her just to get her use to it.
Just before her 3rd birthday I really decided that enough was enough and took the nappies off and coped with a few accidents (mainly poo ones as she still liked to wear a nappy which is common, ds was the same). Eventually she started doing poos on the toilet, funnily enough she went almost straight onto the toilet, didn't really like the potty. By the age of just over 3.5 she was dry at night as well.
It was a struggle but I did try and remain as patient and calm as possible, if she does have an accident try and say oh well never mind but next time try and do it in the potty.
Good luck, hope it goes well. I also bought a NCT book on potty training and found that really useful as there was a special need section in there!

Davros · 15/08/2004 19:43

There's a thread that might be helpful here\

beccaboo · 16/08/2004 10:44

DS (32 months) is slowly getting the hang of it. We started off by letting him run around with no nappy and watching him like a hawk - as soon as he started doing a wee we'd whisk him on to the potty, followed by lots of praise (we have a special song we sing when he's had a success ). If he's got no pants on he will now go and find the potty on his own, but still isn't at the stage where he'll pull pants down on his own or let us know he needs to go.

He likes washing his hands, so we always do this after trip to the loo as a kind of 'reward'.

There are quite a few board books around about new potties / going to the loo, which we found quite helpful.

The nursery suggested that we use ordinary cotton pants and if he does a wee, don't change him - apparently he won't like the wet feeling and this should persuade him to use the potty. I'm not sure about this one though.

Davros · 16/08/2004 12:50

I really don't like the wet pants/aversive approach. A lot of kids with SN simply won't care and I also think its disrespectful and ineffective. Far better to praise for the desired behaviour and ignore the non-desired behaviour. In my view, punishment and toilet training do not go together, especially with SN.

lou33 · 16/08/2004 14:02

FD I have forgotten how old your dd is, sorry. I'm sure you know this, but childrenw ith cp can often have reduced senisitivity in the bladder area, which makes them physically unable to know if they need the loo or not, so if dd is only about 2, it may be worth waiting a bit longer. Ds is 3 1/2, and still v up and down wrt potty training. We have a sn potty chair for him, but a lot of the time he doesn't realise he needs to go. It's only in the last week or so that he has actually said he needs a poo, but he still doesn't realise over half the time.

Is she able to sit independently ? WOuld she be able to sit on a non sn potty, or would she need more support, like ds? If so you should get in touch with OT and ask them to come and assess her. Ds isn't able to sit on a run of the mill potty, he is too stiff and unbalanced, and for the same reason he can't use one that slips onto a proper toilet.

Hth.

Fio2 · 16/08/2004 14:05

I agree with davros about the wet pant issue. We still havent trained dd, she just doesnt seem aware so we have left it for the time being, she is 4. Trust YOUR instinct FD, it is nothing to do with your GP or HV

coppertop · 16/08/2004 18:11

Definitely agree with waiting until YOU feel that dd is ready. My HV was encouraging us to start potty-training with ds1 when he was 2yrs old. He didn't have a clue about what it was or what he was meant to do and it was an absolute disaster. He's only recently started to show signs of being ready (and still not all of the usual signs that you look for with NT children) at the age of 4yrs 2mths.

Dingle · 17/08/2004 22:35

Is my dd trying to tell me something? Twice this week she has taken off her trousers/shorts and her nappy and thrown them over the child gate at me!!
She uses the sign for toilet, and I think she knows what the potty is for. I don't know that I am ready for potty training her yet- everyone seems to think the later I leave it the easier it will be for her (and me.)
We have just invested in a larger potty, it's one of those musical ones by Fisher Price- the only drawback is that dd and her older brother keep putting their toys in it to make it play the music, I'll be glad when the batteries run out.
A few of you have mentioned SN potties- what are these like and where do you get them from please?

Fio2 · 18/08/2004 07:21

dingle we have the same problem with our potty, in that my two use it like a toy - it drives me mad. As for the special potty, you can get them off you OT department or Social services - but we werent allowed to have one. The child has to have a 'significant' physical problem to have one, I think. So they need special support when sitting etc (this is what I was told anyway, they were less than helpful!)

Davros · 18/08/2004 08:40

Dingle, agree that you shouldn't rush it and you will probably know when the right time comes. However, don't put it off for too long or it will become more difficult again iyswim. I know people who have never attemtpted toilet training with their SN kids and they (the kids!) are still in nappies at 10...... if that's unavoidable then fair enough but i do think that they made the mistake of underestimating their child or just putting it off as it seemed impossible. Don't mean to sound judgemental, I was lucky as mine loved using the potty/toilet and I had a lot of help, otherwise I'd still be wrapping him up to this day!

Fio2 · 18/08/2004 08:43

oh no! maybe I have left it too long, she just doesnt seem to understand though or even care if she is wet

Davros · 18/08/2004 09:00

God Fio, I just don't know, I'm no expert, as I said I had a lot of help. Its so hard to decide, right we're going to do this and it just doesn't work....... how old is she? She's starting a new school this Sept isn't she? Maybe wait and see how she settles and speak to the people there.

Fio2 · 18/08/2004 09:03

she is 4 davros, they will start potty training her as soon as she gets there, I think it will help that it is a special school and they are used to kids like my dd! sorry had a completly pasranoid moment this morning really should get my depression under control!

Fio2 · 18/08/2004 09:04

yes she starts in september, lord if i had a brain i would be dangerous

Dingle · 20/08/2004 21:42

my events of this morning;
1.took off dd's nappy.
2. sat her on potty.
3 read story
4.sang song
5.no wee- ask"nappy on?"
6.dd said "yaaah"
7.put nappy on dd
8.put dirty nappy in bin
9.went to get dd's clothes
10.came back downstairs
11.picked up clean nappy just removed by dd
12.cleaned up wee from carpet!!!!!
13.sat dd back on potty
14.put dry nappy back on dd

Is every morning going to be like this? will I have to staple it on in future?

Saker · 21/08/2004 20:09

After observing ds2 sitting on the potty chair for 2 secs before completing several circuits of the room then sitting back down again, up again, round again, back down again etc, ds1 said seriously "Really ds2 needs a strap on that potty"......

Davros · 22/08/2004 13:44

We're not at toilet training stage but I had a lovely experience this morning. 17 mos DD ripped her nappy off while lying on the carpet drinking milk. I didn't rush to put it back on, let her enjoy a little freedom (fool!). THen she climbed on the coffee table, we had a little game of brick building and she did a poo on the table! Luckily it was quite hard little lumps. Could only tell MNers that lovely tale!

Dingle · 23/08/2004 20:55

First poo on potty this evening!!! Lovely eh!!
we all cheered and she raised her arm up and cheered "woo,,,wooo,,,wooo!" Bless.

coppertop · 23/08/2004 21:48

LOL at these poo tales!

Ds1 greeted me this afternoon with "Did a poo in mine potty. A sausage poo." There's such a thing as too much information, ds1.....

lou33 · 23/08/2004 21:58

@ sausage poo!

Flip