My 5 1/2 yr old daughter is afraid of the auto flush toilets. She always has been. She will throw ragging fits if I make her use them when we are out and about. I've stood there with her looking at them flushing them over and over and showing her there is nothing to be afraid of. I've told her it's just a toilet flushing, if it startles you just remind yourself it's just a toilet flushing. Now that she is in school, they have atuo flush toilets and I'm not there to push her to use them so she is holding it. Or, having an accident on the playground and not telling the teacher because she doesn't want to use the auto flush toilet. Fri she came home w/ such a red bottom from sitting in wet clothes. She now also has a UTI. I'm not sure if that's from holding it, or another issue, but either way, what can I do to help get her past this?
You guys are great. I talked with her teacher and she was very understanding cause her daughter (same age as mine) is also afraid. I sent post its to school but they didn't work. The teacher concocted some contraption for my kiddo though!! It hangs there and can also be moved when she is done. I don't know why I never thought to talk to her before.
Stick a post it over the electric eye. She is old enough to do this herself if she is brave enough to walk up to it before she pulls her pants down. It's really common - my son has only recently outgrown it. He is 5 years, 9 months.
Talk to her teacher and tell him/her what is going on. Give your kiddo something to use that will make her feel better. Send her with small post-it notes to put over the "eye." If she forgets her post-its, teach her to wrap toilet paper around the eye. If she thinks she can control that thing, she will more than likely use it.
My 4 year old hates them, too. She can't handle the sound of them or the dryers. I think the autoflush catches her off guard (which makes it scary), and she doesn't have time to cover her ears. Kind of like someone jumping out and screaming boo in a haunted house. You feel it coming and you are anxious about it in the first place.
Good luck!!! Poor baby!
Carry post its in your purse, put them over the sensor.
I dont blame her i hate them too.
Put a peice of TP over the little "eye." Then show her how to take it off so the toilet will flush when she's done.
I hate them too.
My daughter was the same way...we did as everyone else suggested and I taught her to put tp over the eye. She still won't poop at school (and she's 7).
You can indeed drape toilet paper over the sensor -- IF the sensor is on the pipe that sticks up behind the toilet (not a good description but you know what I mean!). However, if the sensor "eye" is mounted directly in the wall, you can't cover it with TP because there's nothing to drape the paper over. The solution in that case: When you are out with her, carry some masking tape with you -- a small roll of it is light to carry. Tear off a small piece and stick it over the eye on the wall. That halts the auto-flush. Sometimes the act of covering the eye can cause one last flush because the sensor senses the motion as you cover it; be sure to wait for that. Do remember to remove the tape each time!
But at school, this won't work. Do teach her to cover the sensor with TP if it's the kind she can cover that way, and teach her there might be one last "explosion" before it's safe to sit. But if the sensor is in the wall, I can't see the teacher encouraging any kid to take tape into the bathroom every time. I would definitely work with the teacher; surely she has had this issue with other children because lots of kids hate these toilets. She should be able to offer you some form of help - though unfortunately she cannot go into the toilet every time with your child since there are other kids she must be with. If the teacher is dismissive and says "oh, she'll get over it" and otherwise isn't receptive, ensure the teacher knows about the wet clothes, holding urine and yes, the UTI as well, and let her know you will have to ask the principal (or preschool director?) for ideas if she won't offer any....
I too despise these toilets. And I do cover the sensor myself and I'm not 5 1/2 any more!....
Potty training was a nightmare for us because of this exact issue. She's much better now but as with any toilet flushing, it is loud and she covers her ears (not at home but when we are out). Once solution is to cover the sensor with a post it note, then when she's ready for it to flush she can take it off.
I would talk to the teacher and also teach your DD to cover the eye (paper, post it, etc.) until she is done. It is not uncommon for kids to be afraid of them.
I don't like them either. They are thunderous and do not always wait for me to be finished. Plus remember her little face is right above the toilet seat.. Yikes!
I agree to speak with the teacher and see if you 2 can figure out a way to stop the "auto" part till she is really finished. I like Lynn M suggestion of the toilet paper over the sensor. Go to school with her and practice this with her.. Heck, I am going to try it.
Does the nurse's office also have autoflush toilets, or are those manual? If manual, have it set up between you daughter and her teacher(s) that she be allowed to go to the nurse's office when she has to go. My daughter is in the 6th grade and has issues with constipation; when she needs to go, we have it set up that she is allowed to go to the nurse's office and use the bathroom there.
When my daughter was younger, she had an issue with autoflush toilets too (she has SPD). She eventually outgrew it.
Hope my suggestion will be of help.
She probably isn't the only one scared of auto flush. My 4 1/2 yr old dgtr doesn't like them either. I make her go. I am also working on teaching her how to cover the sensor with toilet paper. If I have sticky notes I use them, but somehow i never seem to have them. As the teacher if there is something you can do at school.
One elementary at kindergarten orientation they had parents go into bathroom with kids and show the kids how to cover the sensor since it was a frequent problem.
My daughter to this day still does not like those auto flush toilets either. I have taught her to set her hand over the flashing motion detector until she is done and ready to get off the toilet. Then she "jumps" off before it flushes! Remind your daughter to wipe before she lets her hand off though!! Give it a try and see if this helps her as it has helped my girl.
yes, cover the sensor with TP! I know it's irritating and seems silly, but it's a really, really common fear. And it's an easy fix. Think about it, too - how irritated do you feel when one of those flush while you're still sitting on it! I've found that once I gave my son control of the situation (he can cover the sensor w/TP) he is not at all fearful any more, and will sometimes use the auto-flush w/o covering the sensor.
My son went through this in Kindergarten too. I got a call one day from the nurse. They thought he had a bladder infection because he kept asking to use the bathroom. It turned out he was just afraid of the automatic flusher. However, once at the nurse's office he was able to finally relieve himself because there is not one in there. Can you speak with the school and let them know about the issue? Maybe they will let her use the bathroom in the office or nurse's room. I believe that most of these bathrooms do not have the automatic flusher.
