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SN children

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Original poster

Global development Delay and potty training

40 replies

FireUnicorn · 27/03/2020 20:48

Has anyone managed to potty train their GDD Child? My 5 year old son is happy to sit on the toilet with a nappy on but won't sit on without one.

I've been sticking to a routine off sitting him on the toilet after each meal, before a bath and before bed. (with a nappy) for the past 3 months as he was taking a interest in the toilet while I was potty training my 3 year old son.

He had a huge problem with poos and was with holding which he's so much better with and he's now going daily and we have reached the stage off it being "normal" and he knows when he's going as he starting to hide.

Would it be worth trying to potty training? Anyone found a large potty that might be a bit more suitable he isn't a big 5 year old. Any tips would be great!

OP posts:

Porcupineinwaiting · 29/03/2020 08:23

No direct experience but at 5 I might be tempted to bypass the potty and go straight for the toilet (which child seat). Do you think he'd go for that? Maybe standing to wee to start with? You could put a ping pong ball in and encourage him to aim at it, or put a target on the back of the bowl.

My DN (nt) wouldnt poo without a nappy on til he was 4 (and then they had to force the issue). He was trained for weeks much earlier, so you dont necessarily need to tackle the 2 together. Alternatively you could get a potty and line it with a nappy and you may find he is happy to sit on that.

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 29/03/2020 15:03

Thank you we have a child seat and step stool but he struggles with balance I was thinking something low down might be a bit more easy. We have a basic potty but thats doesn't offer much support for him.

I was looking at the SN potty but they aren't cheap! Have done a few hours off no nappies but yet to ask for a week or do one.

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Porcupineinwaiting · 29/03/2020 15:11

So what I did with mine (no SN so ignore if not useful) was to take them regularly for a wee. If they managed to "make a little room" they got a jelly tot. Then once the link between weeing and toilet/potty was made I left it more and more to them to ask to go. Were quite a few wet pants along the way (we acted very low key about these) but they did get there.

We also adopted an "all or nothing" approach. One day nappies were gone (except for night times), pants were on and we persevered. Again, not sure if that would be right for your ds but I think it's quite confusing for them if they not only have to work out that they need a wee/poo but then have to remember whether they are wearing a nappy or not.

My dsis did similar but as I said above, her ds asked to put a nappy on when he needed a poo for several years.

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 29/03/2020 15:26

Thank you just recently potty trained my 3 year old doing the same as you just said with my 5 year old I'm not even sure he's got full bladder/bowel control although with poos he's now starting to hide to go so I'm guessing he got some control now.

Did you use underwear from the start or bottom half nothing on? I will try a full day with no nappies.

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Porcupineinwaiting · 29/03/2020 15:43

We did pants but no trousers for the first couple of days but I've heard people do it either way. I think if you've had his nappies off for a few hours and no wees then he does a degree of bladder control but whether it will be easy for him to recognize the sensation of needing to go I cant say. If you do go for it I suggest you have a 3 day trial then reassess.

Porcupineinwaiting · 29/03/2020 15:44

Oh the pants thing - can he put his pants on/take them down by himself?

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 29/03/2020 16:01

He can pull them about half way down and the same with pulling them up trousers haven't tried with underwear

OP posts:

Porcupineinwaiting · 29/03/2020 16:10

Ok so halfway is plenty - so you could try w pants if you want to. It does help them feel wet.

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 29/03/2020 16:18

Brilliant thank you I will try with underwear on

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Biggreen87 · 29/03/2020 19:18

Is your son verbal? How is his understanding?

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 29/03/2020 19:30

his speech is around a 18 to 24 month old but we also use sign language

OP posts:

Biggreen87 · 29/03/2020 19:53

Okidokey! We managed to toilet train ds but it took many years for it to become consistent. He is diagnosed with autism (non verbal) and a severe learning disability. At the time he had virtually zero understanding but that has vastly improved.

The first thing was making him comfortable on the toilet. We purchased a family seat for the toilet, a step for him to rest his feet on and a frame which went around the toilet so he could hold onto it. This got him to actually sit on the toilet, the first battle! Until recently he would urinate on the toilet sitting down.

We used lots of visual aids with him, as well as highlighting wanting to go to the toilet with pecs and then his ipad software when he switched.

Do you use pull ups? Have you heard of upsey daisy pants? They are basically toilet training pants which are washable. They feel like normal underwear but without the mess. We only made progress when ds realised that being wet in pants felt different to his pull ups and he didn't like it. The training pants contained the mess so he wasn't getting distressed but he knew the difference. The rest was taking him to the toilet regularly as he couldn't request himself.

Bowel movements took a lot longer and happened in due course. Same with through the night. He always wore pull ups to bed then one day decided he wanted to wear his training pants and has been dry ever since.

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 29/03/2020 20:30

Thank you do the training pants hold a lot off wee? Have never used training pants aways done bottle half naked first then underwear and after both underwear and trousers. He uses nappies we can't get pull ups yet but I'd be happy to buy my own if it will help!

Did try to potty train him at 3 but that didn't work out! He is interested in the toilet at the moment but I can't get him to sit on it without a nappy on but he's fine being naked lol.

I'd be super happy if we could get the wee's sorted! Still struggling with my 3 year old with poos

OP posts:

Biggreen87 · 29/03/2020 20:56

Pull ups definitely helped ds in the transition. We stopped lying him down to change him (always changed his pull up in the bathroom) and encouraged him to pull them up and down himself just like he then did with his underwear. He still requires help with wiping/cleaning himself but can go independently.

Yes, they hold a lot. You may still get damp patches on clothing occasionally but the generally gist is to get them used to normal underwear without the distress of it going everywhere. You can also get additional padded inserts but we never needed them. Ds always wore a pull up when we went out until he had got the hang on things at home. We used huggies drynites night and day for many many years, they go upto age 8-15 if required. Libero also do their own.

Biggreen87 · 29/03/2020 20:58

Do you get your nappies from the incontinence service?

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 29/03/2020 21:20

Brilliant thank you I'd see if I can find some training pants! It might make it a little less stressful. Will give pull ups ago as well, yes we get the libero size 7 nappies from the incontinence service. After that they give pads which wouldn't be any good.

Feeling a bit more hopefully with potty training him again. How long did it take for your son to do his first wee on the toilet? Just wondering how many days to wait before going back to nappies and trying again at a later date

OP posts:

Biggreen87 · 29/03/2020 21:38

Definitely go off him, you don't want him getting distressed. We definitely rushed ahead once we got the first wees which was definitely the wrong decision.

The first wee was quite quick as we took him very regularly and he was happy to sit on the toilet without his nappy. The major issue was he then got wind of this and started holding and urinating in his pad. That's when we switched to padded pants as he didn't like the feel when he went in them. For a long time he would sometimes go on the toilet and more often wee in his pants, consistency took a long time. He now just wanders off to the toilet himself and decided about 3 months ago he'll start standing up when he urinates (he has the worst aim in the world lol).

It been a while but our incontinence service was offering samples of the pants i mentioned. Might be worth asking them as they aren't overly cheap.

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 29/03/2020 21:53

thank you I found them online and they aren't cheap, I can get 10 pairs off pants in Asda for £4 lol are they true to size? my son is pretty small with no waist and still in a size 3 to 4.

Don't like teaching them to stand up lol my oldest son is fine, youngest has just started to stand up so I know all about the mess lol.

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Biggreen87 · 29/03/2020 22:15

They aren't cheap but in the long run save a lot of money as they are washable and last ages. I used to spend over £80 per month on pads which is alot of money considering how long he was in them.

They have all the measurements on their website. I would absolutely measure him and not just go of the sizing. If they are to big they won't work properly. They are vat exempt if you fill in the form.

He just all of a sudden decided to start standing up, i wish he hadn't in truth haha.

Biggreen87 · 29/03/2020 22:17

Oh he's tiny! You'll probably find really cheap pull ups and their may be other washable options if you have a look about. My son was huge for his age and was in huggies drynites 8-15 pull up at age 4! Are options for washable pants where limited.

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 29/03/2020 22:41

Very true I still have to buy nappies as we are only giving 3 over a 24 hour period. Found them but they are really cheap but like you said cheaper than nappies in the long run.

www.amazon.co.uk/Bambino-Mio-Potty-Training-Pants/dp/B00M2RTUKK/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2UJG5V2TM64KI&keywords=bambino%2Bmio%2Btraining%2Bpants&sprefix=Bambino%2BMio%2Btri%2Caps%2C137&th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1585517694&sr=8-3

Have you thought about trying the little frog urinal? Had a few parents recommend it to me. Oh bless him my 3 year old is nearly bigger than him

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Original poster

FireUnicorn · 30/03/2020 15:30

Started today with just normal pants. Lot off accident and a few part wees on the potty. He's been starting to wee in his pants before realising he needs to go

OP posts:

Porcupineinwaiting · 30/03/2020 16:34

That's totally normal. He needs to connect the sensation of starting to urinate with wetness. If he's not distressed I'd persevere.

Original poster

FireUnicorn · 30/03/2020 18:29

He's been fine with the accidents my washing/floors not so much lol.

OP posts:

Porcupineinwaiting · 31/03/2020 17:54

How did today go?

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