Today, I want to chat directly with caregivers about something that might be a bit of a touchy subject but is super important: potty training autistic kids. Now, we all know that autistic children face their own unique set of struggles…navigating social interactions, communication difficulties, handling behavior issues, repetitive behaviors, and obsessive interests. But did you know that one of the hurdles they might encounter is related to something as everyday as using the toilet?
The journey to becoming toilet-trained can be quite an adventure for parents and children alike, especially when sensory integration challenges come into play.
Autism Parenting Magazine reminds us that there is no “right” age for potty training; there’s just the right time for your child to do it. All children are toilet trained on their own schedule. Kids with autism may have an underdeveloped sense of interoception. Interoception is our eighth sense which responds to signals and sensations from inside our bodies. It describes how we feel and interprets the signals from our internal body organs, such as feeling hunger, tummy sensations from digestion, heart rate, breathing, feeling that the bladder is full, and when we need to poop. For most of us, our interoception sensory system helps us recognize when it’s time to head to the bathroom. It’s all about cues from our body, telling us our bladder or bowels are full. But for kids with autism, interpreting these signals can be a bit like trying to understand a foreign language without a translator.
Imagine being unable to process the sensations around you, including those telling you it’s time to go.
Or feeling overwhelmed by the lights, sounds, smells in a bathroom or chronic constipation. It can turn a simple task into something quite daunting. And that’s where a superhero in disguise comes in – the pediatric pelvic floor physical therapist.
Now, you might be wondering, “What on earth is a pediatric pelvic floor physical therapist, and how can they help my child?” Great question! These specialists are like the wizards of the toileting world. They have the skills and knowledge to help children with constipation and incontinence issues navigate the sometimes-tricky waters of toilet training.
They work on helping children become more comfortable with the whole process – from understanding that the bathroom isn’t a scary place to getting used to the sensations of emptying their bladder and bowels. It’s not just about the physical act of using the toilet but also about helping them tolerate and manage everything that comes with it, like washing hands afterward.
When potty training autistic kids, they will learn to tolerate and understand the toileting process!
Patiently helping them through this process can make a world of difference. And that’s precisely what pediatric pelvic floor physical therapists are here for. They’re trained to pinpoint exactly what each person needs to make toileting a less stressful experience.
So, if your child is struggling with achieving urinary and fecal continence or if the whole toileting experience feels like a battle, it might be time to consider bringing a pelvic floor specialist onto your team. It’s all about giving your child the support they need to conquer this part of their daily routine confidently.
Remember, every person’s journey is unique, but no one has to navigate it alone. With the right support and guidance, toileting doesn’t have to be a source of stress for your child or your family. Here’s to making the bathroom experience just another part of the day, not a stressor.
Take care and stay strong, families. You can conquer potty training your autistic kid! You’re doing great, they’re doing great, and there’s a whole community here at Relax Therapy to support you and your child on this journey.