Potty Training For Disabled Children

Potty training is an important part of your child’s growing process. Some of the parents are happy to teach their kids potty training and get rid of diaper expense. However, most of the parents find potty training as their worst nightmare! On an average, children get easily introduced and trained to the concept of potty training. Even if your kid is stubborn then too with some patience, you can make him/her familiar with potty training. However, when it comes to potty training a disabled child then parents need extra patience. Potty training won’t be a nightmare for you, if you understand that your kid can’t catch the potty training process as quickly as other kids of same age. It is important to keep your child’s development level as the yardstick and not his/her age, when making him/her familiar with potty training. Here are some ideas and tips, which will help you to make your kid familiar with potty training.

How To Potty Train Disabled Kids

When To Start
The typical kid is ready for potty training between eighteen to thirty-six months. However, potty training a disabled kid has to wait until the kid is older than the tot years. The signs of eagerness, which a disabled child will show will be similar to the signs shown by any other kid, who is all set for potty training. If your special one is showing the following signs then it’s the time to begin with potty training.

Shows awareness about bodily functions
Asks questions about potty.
Wants to watch other people using potty.
Reveals discomfort with diapers.
Stays dry for long period of time including nighttime.

In many cases, your kid might not be able to show these signs. In that scenario, you have to decide when you have to start potty training for your kid.

How To Begin

Start with buying toddler potty. Make sure that you buy the one, which your kid likes the most and finds attractive. There is a wide variety of potties available in the market for kids. Some have cartoon characters on them while others are musical. Choose the one, which your kid likes, the most.
Select the time, when your kid is happy, well fed, and relaxed.
It‘s a good idea to demonstrate your kid how potty works. Leave the bathroom door open, when you go to the bathroom. Let your kid watch, as this would help him/her understand the concept of potty.
Next, take your kid to the potty and initiate to his/her potty. Let your kid sit on her/his new potty. Leave some toy near her/his potty so that your kid doesn’t get bored, while using potty.
Make a schedule, following which you take your kid to the potty throughout the day at regular intervals.
For your potty training to be a success, ensure that from you, to your kid’s caretaker all work together.
Accidents will happen! This is the time to test your patience. Don’t be harsh or strict else your kid will lose interest and your potty training lessons will have no effect.
Try teaching your kid good hygiene as well, like washing hands after potty.
Make sure that you buy such cloth training pants, which are easy for your kid to pull up and down. Try to keep clothing light and easy to remove.
Sometimes your problem might involve lack of communication or difficulty in communication. If your child is unable to communicate verbally then you have to find some other ways of communication. This can involve creating hand signals or choosing a photo, which your child can use to understand the concept.

Don’ts For Potty Training

Don’t force your child to go to the bathroom.
Don’t give up your patience. Patience is the key for making potty training a success. So, don’t lose patience if your child is taking time in learning.
Don’t punish your child, when he/she makes mistakes. Instead, use praise and award policy, whenever your kid successfully uses potty. Award him/her with candies, sticker, and toys to celebrate his/her success.

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