Potty Training for children with social learning difficulties
- Many children with social learning difficulties manage to get clean and dry at the usual time.
- Nappies and pull-up pants can be very helpful to manage children who are not yet toilet trained, and are very helpful for parents. Professionals should avoid putting pressure on families for children with social learning difficulties to come out of nappies or pull-ups.
- For children with social learning difficulties, there can sometimes be problems coping with change and there may be a reluctance to have nappies and pull ups taken off and to start using the toilet. For this reason it is helpful not to postpone toilet training if possible.
- There is sometimes a dilemma to know when to start toilet training, and take off nappies, but it is useful to consider the needs of the individual child and family, and use gentle encouragement, and discuss it with professionals if necessary.
- Children with social learning difficulties sometimes have more difficulty in
learning continence, for several reasons, including: - Developmental delay
- Reluctance to use the toilet
- Dislike of smells and sounds
- Rigid eating patterns
- Lack of interest or understanding why they should learn this
- No motivation to be like others
- It is easier to wee and poo in a nappy and continue playing
- The decision to try toilet training often occurs when children begin to show signs of awareness of bowel and bladder function. Parents need to start toilet training at times when they are relaxed, have time, and they feel that their child is ready to do this.
- It can be helpful to encourage children to use different toilets from the
beginning, to prevent them being used to only using toilets at home. - It can be useful to start training using a small toilet seat and step, rather than a potty, to avoid having to change the toileting routine as the child grows older.
- Sometimes keeping nappies and pull-ups on gives a child the message that it’s ok to wee and poo in them. Sometimes children need the learning opportunity of being without nappies and pull-ups to help them learn to use the toilet.
- Picture cues and social stories are often useful to help with toilet training.
- It is very common for children to learn to wee in the toilet, but they may find it more comfortable to do a poo in their pants.
- Further professional advice is available from bowel and bladder clinics.
Referrals can be made from the GP, Health Visitor, or School Nurse.
© Dr Eve Fleming June 2008
Crown Way Clinic, Leamington Spa
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