Help with Potty Training Daughter with PDD

Hi K. I have a 4yr old with PDD who I just got potty trained back in the fall. I addressed it with he OT and it's up to the child when they want to train...sadly. I did a potty chart in the bathroom with stickers and his video games were his reinforcers...candy didn't work.

Wk #1
Put child on potty with lid up and pants down with timer....getting the child use to sitting on the pot.
Timer set for 5-8 min 90 minutes apart **got prize for sitting
Wk#2
child on potty seat up and pants up to help with the feeling of the toilet seat being "open"
set timer for same amount of time etc........
Wk#3
undwear time!!! messy but follow the same criteria as above...
Wk#4
NO PRIZE UNLESS THEY POTTY IN THE POTTY-----then get the reinforcer of choice

My son was ready---Had him trained in 3.5 weeks. My BSC was floored how fast I got him trained.
Don't worry...this is normal for spectrum kids to be behind in this.
Best Wishes
N.

K.,

I have a son with multiple disabilities (Prader Willi, PDD, ADHD, ODD) and an autie. I'm pretty sure my daughter will be diagnosed with ADD. My youngest is typically abled.

Sometimes kids with PDD train later. A lot later. My autie didn't train until he was 4 and then still had accidents at night. My friend's son is 5 and hasn't trained yet but is trying. I know some kids who are approaching 9 and are nowhere near toilet trained.

You don't say how affected your daughter is. I doubt she's lazy, though. Keep being consistent, keep teaching her. Try not to push her along her chronological age or by what other kids her age are doing. That will only serve to frustrate the both of you. This is a hard enough time for you as it is.

I wish I had a warm fuzzy sure fire idea, but the reality of it is she will train late.

It doesn't mean you're a bad mom. Her delays have nothing to do with how good a mom you are or how much you love her (which is a lot).

Good luck. Keep up with the training.

I have a daughter with PDD-NOS, she is 5 and not fully potty trained. It's not uncommon for kids on the spectrium to train way later than regular functining children. My daughter has sensory issues also, she needs to see a bathroom to remember she has to go so at school they have 1 in the classroom she has no problem all day. But when she got home she would have accidents like crazy. Our bathroom is upstairs.

I finally broke down and bought a potty trainer potty and I keep it downstairs where she sees it and remembrs. Since we had it she has had no accidents. I do have a rule she must have her BMs in the upstairs bathroom and I carefully explained that her potty doesn't flush. I am hoping to move to a new home in a year or 2 but 1 thing on my list is the house has to have a 2nd bathroom on the main level. Good luck, I hope this helped. BTW, she still wears pull ups at night.

Hi, K.,

I can only offer moral support, I'm afraid, rather than any concrete advice. My almost 3 1/2 -y-o with PDD isn't close to being trained, either. His TSS & BSC didn't think it would take this long (about 4 or 5 months already, I guess). For a while candy was an incentive and now I put his most favorite toy vehicles on the big potty for him to get as a reward for peeing. It's all very hit or miss -- he's just not that interested. I guess I'll make an all-out effort when it warms up, put underwear and sandals on him....
Good luck!

Hi K.,
I don't have personal experience with PDD--but have you tried teaching her sign language to express if she feels the need to "go"? Just a thought. Good luck to you. God Bless.