Newsletter May 2009

Since children on the autism spectrum are often visual learners it is important to provide lots of visual cues and prompts for them.

Use visual schedules for your child both at home and in preschool. It seems natural to carry that over into potty training to help reinforce the routine of using the toilet into this day.

Potty Training can be made simple

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind while potty training:

• Special needs children should be given more time to develop physically, socially and mentally before initiating training. In general, they do not recommend starting potty training until the age of 30 months for special needs children.
• You should attempt to use the doll in potty training your special needs child, however, if your child pays no attention to the doll, throws the doll away or is unable to understand the meaning of the dolls actions, then you should discontinue using the doll completely.
• Some special needs children the doll will have no meaning and so you will not be able to use it. If your child has played with dolls before, then you probably will be able to use a potty training doll.
• Rewards system of Friends Who Care - or Super Heros - use this only if you know that your child has formed strong attachments with this person and knows this person well. You may have to rely entirely on your own approval.
• Use manual guidance extensively i.e. manually help and guide your child while teaching him/her what to do.
• Use gestures whenver you speak.
• Your instructions should be simple.

Check out our Musical Potties!!