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Potty training usually starts for the average child around the age of two. However, autistic children are developing at a different pace than the average child and therefore might not be ready to potty train until they are four or five. This older age can make it difficult for parents of autistic children as they do not know exactly how to handle the situation. Do you handle the situation as if the child is two or three or should you try a different approach?
While there is no right or wrong answer to this question there are some helpful tips that other parents of autistic children have found helpful. Here are some potty training tips for parents of autistic children.
Story Time. Autistic children love stories. Even if they are unable to truly react to the story they love hearing it and they process the eliminates of the story in their brains. Try making a story about going to the bathroom. Include pictures of the toilet, bathroom and other visuals to help your child associate themselves with being potty trained.
The Potty Schedule. The potty schedule takes a lot of patients and work on the parents part but it can come in very handy. What it is recommended doing is taking your child to the bathroom every hour for eight to ten days straight. This allows them to associate bathroom with a regular function and can help them get ready to be potty trained. It might take a lot of time but it can have very positive results in the end.
The Independent Potty Schedule. Once your child has gotten used to going into the bathroom allow them to go on their own. If you notice that they look like they have to go ask them firmly if they need to go to the bathroom and direct them to the bathroom. This allows them to feel as if they are making the decision themselves.
