Potty training for a sensory child

amother

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 7:43 pm

My son is 2.8 and a very sensory kid (relevant to this, hates diaper changes or anything in this area, terrified of new things, everything that feels different takes a ton of adjustment and usually only happens with screaming). He is also very headstrong and cannot be forced into anything. He is showing some signs of readiness so I want to start soonish, eg he tells me when he is going to do #2 and goes to hide to do it, doesn't pee in the bath). Very verbal also. Any tips?

Anyone done the Oh Cr*p method with a very sensory kid? I'm ready to order the book if it would work for him, I've heard good things otherwise about it.

He's not my first kid but my first like this, the others are girls and they basically trained themselves! I'm so nervous to mess it up with him and scare him off, I need to do it gently and do it right the first time.

TIA

amother

Birch

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 8:01 pm

With my sensory and anxious boy, I started by getting him used to unfamiliar sensation.

Break it down into small pieces of learning.

Can he sit on a toilet seat or small potty, even dressed? Can he stand on a stool and hold onto a raised lid of a toilet seat, positioned for urinating?

You can gradually increase his tolerance for sitting by providing him with a desirable toy that he is only allowed to use while doing so. You can reward him just for sitting.

If you gradually increase the number of times per day he's in the bathroom, and the length of time he's sitting, he'll eventually produce, and then you can make a big fuss over him.

amother

Strawberry

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 8:07 pm

I know girls are different with potty training but my daughter is pretty sensory and we decided Oh Cr*p wouldn't work for us because she wouldn't like being naked all the time. I followed DH's lead (since he's definitely the one she gets the sensory stuff from) and we just put her in underwear and pants and she did fine--just took an accident or 2 and she got it. She didn't like being wet. Anyway every child is different but definitely take into account your child's preferences.

amother

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 8:28 pm

amother Birch wrote:

That's a great tip, thanks.

amother

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 8:29 pm

amother Strawberry wrote:

I forgot to mention that he is very happy being naked, totally hates getting dressed and being dressed. So he'd probably love that part. Interesting that not wanting to be wet worked for her, I feel like it wouldn't work for him but you never know!!

amother

Purple

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 8:35 pm

I found my children that were more sensory sensitive tended to toilet train faster as they didn't like being in wet clothing. They were way more invested in being successful. They were also more sensitive to the internal sensations as well and just got the hang of it quicker. I second making sure your child is comfortable on the potty/toilet and not afraid before trying to officially train them.

amother

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 8:38 pm

amother Purple wrote:

Interesting. I hope it works that way for him too. Any tips on getting over that fear & getting him comfortable? I've been very casual about it, just discussing the concept of using the toilet, but he has already expressed some fear about it.

amother

Purple

Mon, Oct 16 2023, 8:58 pm

I used a potty set up outside the bathroom (I had a both a seat and a potty and asked him which he preferred.) I set up a makeshift kiddie table from a cardboard box and I sat and colored with him while he sat on the potty, I read books, he ate snacks... The goal then wasn't necessarily to have success in voiding but to be comfortable. We looked at pictures on my phone...just a relaxing, low pressure experience. He got a small reward for sitting on the potty even without going. (Which then switched to only when he actually used the potty...)
Moved on to potty in the bathroom and eventually the toilet seat.

amother

Tue, Oct 17 2023, 10:58 pm

amother Purple wrote:

Thank you, that's helpful.