My 3 1/2 year old son was recently diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder. He is under-responsive to tactile sensations and usually can't perceive when he needs to go or has already gone and is wet. I have tried just about everything. My OT recommended trying to determine his output after eating/drinking and putting him on a schedule. Not working...some days he is like a camel and will go all day without going, then pee in his underwear or pullup 2 minutes after he gets off the toilet. Tried putting underwear on him repeatedly, but having to resort back to pullups for now because of the mess. He doesn't realize he is going until he sees it on the floor. Tried the reward system, but then I couldn't get him off the toilet because he would want to stay on there for hours til he went just to get the reward. He does go on the potty off and on, so he knows how and is not afraid. Does anyone have any experience with this? Typical toilet training techniques are not working...any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
My son has SPD as well and we decided to wait to worry about the training and just let him use the pull ups... by the time he was 4 he was potty trained and by 4.5 at night as well... I would not stress about it too much he will eventually get it he just may not be ready. LOTS of boys with out SPD are not trained until the age of 4.
HTH
A. J
Hey L.,
My 5 year old daughter has spd and my 3 1/2 yr old boy as well. My son just recently stopped having accidents. I know you have a lot on your plate. You, and the doctor, might think I'm crazy, but the only thing that worked for me was letting my son run around naked and had the steam cleaner handy. It was the only way he could recognize what was going on with his body. We made up a song to the tune of "Go Tell it on the Mountain," and that's when it really clicked for him. He loved it: "Jude goes poopoo on the potty, Jude puts the poopoo and the peepee in the potty. Jude goes poopoo in the potty, cause he's a really big boy." Hey, with "sensational" kids, you've got to be creative, no matter how crazy you look to the rest of the world. Do you know about the spd network on the internet? If you're in Irving, "Our Children's House" has amazing Occupational Therepy and a network for families as well as free workshops. God Bless You!
My now 8yo ds has Sensory Issues too. We tried EVERYTHING to potty train - specialists, classes, OT's, etc. Finally we took the advice of my wise grandmother who said "he'll train when he's ready, be patient" -- 2 days before his 5th bday, he did -- for no extra reward, prodding, etc -- it just "happened" -- BIG DAY at my house I can promise you!!
Your son has extra "issues" to work through - keep offering, but let him work it out on his own. I've heard from many other moms whose kids DON'T have Sensory issues that their sons potty trained late -- he WILL get it, it just doesn't seem like it!
Hang in there -
My son also has Sensory Processing Disorder and was diagnosed with PDD-NOS as well. I tried everything to get him potty trained from 3- 3-1/2 and nothing worked. One day my Father in law had him for a day and had him trained. He showed him how to make bubbles in the toilet. He would go and then my son would want to do what paw paw was doing. He was taking him every 30 minutes. After about 3 hours my son went. Once he did he received skittles for a job well done. From that point on no more pull ups underwear only. He would have an accident occasionally at night, but once he was in the routine of going to make bubbles right before bed no more accidents.
My father in law told me I just didn't have the right parts...ha ha :-)
Try asking on the website:
www.spdfoundation.net
My son has autism which is basically sensory processing disorder with speech delay. We taught him this way. We took him to the potty every 1/2 hour and made him sit. If he had an accident we made him touch his wet pants and said pee pee goes in the potty. Then we took him to the potty, pulled down his pants and made him sit. Then we pulled up his wet pants, took him back to the spot where we noticed wet pants and did the drill again, 5 times. Poop accidents we just cleaned up.
Dear L.,
I'm sorry you are struggling with this. I'm sure you are ready to be done with diapers! I would like to reiterate what the poster said about deep compressions and brushing. I have heard of many parents using these techniques.
I am a licensed Yoga for the Special Child (TM) practitioner and would like to refer you to my website: www.yogapotential.com
This therapy can touch many aspects of a child's life.
Good luck.
Peace and Joy,
M.
Check out www.littlegiantsteps.com and consider getting their DVD "Understanding the Neurodevelopment approach." My 14 year old son is a bed wetter and we did some activities that helped that. They address many other issues.... You go in for an evaluation and they give you many things to do every day and you go back in 4 months later. Things like deep pressure, light touch with the tactile glove, crawling exercises.... tons of stuff.
We had the same problem with our son. Our OT had us brush him with a surgical brush every two waking hours in a certain order and so many strokes on each area of the body followed by joint compressions. With in two months, Collin had gained sensitivity back so that he was ready to potty train. I know it's different for each child, but that's what helped us. He was completely potty trained in the day with in a month after that, and after an extra month and a half was potty trained at night. He has not even had an "accident". We are so proud of him. (We still to brushing and joint compressions to help calm him down, but just not as frequently during the day.) Your OT will be the one to train you in it. Hope this helps.
S.
Have you talked to a pediatric urologist? My little girl was well on her way to being potty trained at 3-1/2. All of a sudden she could not feel when she was urinating or pooping. She also did not know she was doing it until she felt it on her legs or bottom, or saw it on the floor. The urologist told us that there is a nerve bundle at the base of the spine that some times gets twisted during growth spurts etc. She was in the midst of a quite rapid growth spurt when this occured. Apparently this is common at this age. She will be 5 in March and all is well now. It took about 5 months to straighten out by itself.
K.
I'm an OT and I have a child with Down syndrome who also has decreased sensation and body awareness. He finally potty trained a week after his 5th birthday and what finally worked was the potty program that Gail Wayman teaches. It uses the reward system to increase initiation and helps to kiddos be more aware. They get rewarded for being dry, there is a consequence for being wet (not a "bad" consequence, it doesn't shame the child or anything...it's called a positive practice technique), and then there is also praise when they go. she has a learning center in plano you can google for. She offers these potty training workshops periodically and she also provides private services.
I feel your pain. I wish I had advice though. My son will be 7 in May. He has Autism and SPD and ADHD. He doesn't have accidents pee wise anymore, but he poops in his pants quite frequently. He says he can't feel when he has to go. We have tried many techniques as well and nothing! There will be days though when he doesn't go at all, like for 4-5 days at a time. Enemas don't work on him. And then he'll have days when he'll do little bits at a time in his underwear several times in an hour. Very frustrating! I have no idea what to do anymore. With the pee part though, it just clicked one day. Now he tells me beforehand when he has to go and then goes. He has an accident here and there when he's too involved to get up and go do it, but for the most part he's good on it. I hope it gets better for you and you are able to find a way to help your son with it!
