So potty-training is all the rage in our house right now. I’m so excited I could hyperventilate, even if I had a pulse oximeter on hand, haha. So yesterday afternoon Ryan came to me complaining about the fit of his cloth diaper, and next thing I know he’s sitting on the toilet, and then he peed. He went again at Target, and several times since then. He’s had several accidents as well, so I know this won’t be an overnight accomplishment, like it was for Alyssa.
So… how do you go about potty training an autistic child? The biggest thing is consistency, of course. Plenty of positive reinforcement works wonders, too. I want to come up with some type of reward chart. Speaking of charts, I want to have two charts on hand. Tonight I’m going to create a records-keeping chart like the one TEACCH has featured on their website, and then tomorrow I’m going to print out a fun one for Ryan to mark his progress with. I’m thinking 10-15 blocks for each day of the week, and every time he goes he gets to put a smiley face sticker or gold star in the appropriate block. I’ll probably further reinforce the awesomeness of it by giving him a miniature bag of cheese Goldfish, or milk chocolate M&M’s.
Based on experience with my brothers (both are on the autistic spectrum; my fourteen year old brother has been diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, while my twelve year old brother is on the lower end of the autism spectrum), I know that successfully potty training Ryan just for days could take several weeks. And if he takes after my one brother (I’m going to protect his privacy by not mentioning which one), he could need diapers at night for another eight to ten years. *sigh* I certainly hope that won’t be the case, but I’m prepared for the possibility of it.
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My name is Jenn, and I'm 27 years old. I'm happily married to my best friend and soulmate, Daniel. Together we have a six year old daughter named 
Name: Alyssa
Name: Ryan
