Suggestions on Potty Training Children with Special Needs from a Child Development Specialist

Email From Customer:

I am a Child Development Specialist/Early Interventionist. I want to commend you for providing parents with the Typical Timetable or Stage/Stages for Child Development.

My suggestion is to add a notation that parents be aware that all children, especially children with developmental delays, do not always fit the charts for children with no delays. If a parent goes to your website, they should be encouraged to look at the chart based on their child's developmental skills level, not the chronological age. This would help early interventionists who work with children based on their developmental age. Even though we emphasize this to parents, they still want their child to be "normal".

Also, a suggestion to try to develop a potty training doll that uses a wheelchair. It is such a shame on the industry to not address children with different abilities such as in wheelchairs, using braces/walking canes, etc. It is totally different for them and their parents to address potty training needs. It takes more time to process and more time to get to the potty.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. We, as early interventionists, struggle with this all the time.

Sincerely,

Carol McCullough
The Marc Center Early Intervention
924 N. Country Club Dr.
Mesa, AZ 85201

Comments

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Global developmental delay (12/17/2009) Reviewer: Sylvia (Mitchells Plain, Cape Town)

I've read a lot of material that helps with potty training but I have a daughter with a global developmental delay. She can't talk, hear or walk.

She's starting to crawl now but there's no communication. She needs to go and register at a deaf school next year but the requirement is that she must be potty trained.

Help for a new teacher... (12/16/2008) Reviewer: Anonymous I am a new teacher of special needs children and am checking this site for information. I have three three-year olds and a four year old to help potty train. One of the three year olds is Autistic. Another is wheel chair bound. If anyone has some ideas, I would appreciate it.