Can't do the "wait till he's ready" approach to PT'ing

Jezebel1228

I'm sure some of you know we've tried before and had several failed attempts. Well now Caleb is busting the seams of his size 6 diapers and I don't want to put him in 7's or adult diapers. He's almost 4.5 and starting kindergarten in September. I am going to use up the Pull Ups we have but I know they don't hold nearly as much as diapers. 

So any advice? He used to tell us AFTER he went but hasn't lately. I don't know how to go about leaving a potty out with B in the room b/c I know she'll play with it. The LR is gated off b/ of her AND I have safety locks on the door to the bathroom, again b/c of her. 

Kristen81603

I don't know- is there a group of moms you can ask that have experience with training a boy with downs? But my advice will be to do what you have to for Caleb, and just try to lock up Brielle- I know the feeling Mikey is a destroyer on two legs, lol! Although he doesn't climb like Brielle does- GOOD LUCK! and he will get it!

mrs.marie.g

i would talk to his teachers and see what advice they have.

and  if it where me. i'd fogo pull ups (unless we where going out or something) and just do underwear. belle used to get REALLY upset when she had an accident and learned real quick. plus pull ups or just glorified diapers he's not really going to get it that way (my two cents) 

Notwifezilla7

Drop the pull-ups and put him in underwear. Get LOTS of pairs.

Talk to the teacher to develop a plan of action to keep things similar at home & school. I know that when I taught self-contained K for the kids who had issues w/PTing we'd put them on the toilet every 30 minutes. It was a PITA, but the classroom assistant was a great help with that. For every successful potty attempt there was some immediate rewards (m&m or jellybean) as well as a sticker/stamp on their chart. With each day dry, another sticker. Gradually stretching out the reinforcers to once a day.

Good luck!

Jezebel1228

Thanks girls. I did just email a friend who has a boy older than Caleb who is PT'd but aside from her all of the moms on my boards have younger kids

I have about 12 pair of underwear ready to go but the last few times we tried this, he couldn't have cared less about sitting in a wet diaper. Just made a huge mess for me. Same with leaving him totally bottomless. Just peed wherever he happened to be.  

akayf

Notwifezilla7:

Drop the pull-ups and put him in underwear. Get LOTS of pairs.

Talk to the teacher to develop a plan of action to keep things similar at home & school. I know that when I taught self-contained K for the kids who had issues w/PTing we'd put them on the toilet every 30 minutes. It was a PITA, but the classroom assistant was a great help with that. For every successful potty attempt there was some immediate rewards (m&m or jellybean) as well as a sticker/stamp on their chart. With each day dry, another sticker. Gradually stretching out the reinforcers to once a day.

Good luck!

 

All of this!!!!!    What do his teachers say?   Isn't PTing one of his IEP goals?  

mommyof4boys

I tutor 2 kids who have Down Syndrome.  Do you want me to ask one of them?  One of the kids is 12 and the other is 14.  With Jon who was my harder kid I put him on the potty every 15 minutes to start, then went back to 20 minutes and 30 minutes.  I had a potty chair in the living room.  I praised and gave a M&M for every time he sat.  I did something I swore I'd never do and would give him a sip of soda for every time he actually went.  It was the ONLY motivator I used that actually worked.

LaKi

I'm PMing you now...

MrsDB

i think pullups might hurt you. put waterproof lap pads on the couch or under him if he's sitting on carpet. Talk it up, tell him how you're going to work on some big boy stuff to get him ready for school. Then make plans to have no plans, stay in, load him up full of water and juice so he gets lots of "practice" in and put him on the potty every 15 minutes. let him know that he won't have to go so much when he starts telling you he needs to go on his own. Every time he goes to the bathroom and pees- THROW A PARTY! like get really excited for him. If he doesn't need to go, but sits there anyway, tell him he's doing a great job trying. If he has an accident, be like "aww man, what a bummer, next time lets go to the potty FIRST, okay?" and be careful not to say things like "oh i guess you're not ready to be a big boy" or anything that would be shameful.  on day 2, get him on the potty every 30 minutes, but ask him if he needs to go every 15.  

debfife

My BFs son is severely autistic. He does not communicate at all. They had to do the every 30 minute, put him on the toilet method, they also taught him to point to a watch every time they put him on the toilet. He learned rather quickly to point to the watch when he had to go. They also had a program for this in his school. 

Does his school or therapists work on developing a program for this at all?  

Jezebel1228

Thanks again girls. Sorry it's taken me long to respond. I've been chasing him around and making charts and getting stickers together. I've been doing the every 15/20 minute thing. We've had 2 accidents do far and he seems to be peeing every 1/2 hour. I just want him to go ONCE so he can see the rewards. 

School will follow our lead at home and they do toilet the children but I don't know how often. I will have to send him in in a pull up b/c there's no way they'll be able to keep up with his accidents.  

junebug1

we liked the go naked approach.  when you're at home, have him be naked, as much as possible.  it helps make them more aware of what's going on.  it worked very well for us. 

Jezebel1228

junebug1:

we liked the go naked approach.  when you're at home, have him be naked, as much as possible.  it helps make them more aware of what's going on.  it worked very well for us. 

I may try this again. The first time he couldnt have cared less. He just stood there and peed where ever he was.. and with B in the room I dont really want to take the chance. BUT he got to the potty this morning and went, but with the underwear still on.. so being naked may help. I want to see if he does it again. If he gets the idea that he needs to get there but doesnt quite get that he needs to ask for help or pull the underwear down, not having them on will help.