Um...well, yes, he is 5 1/2. Imagine my relief when I found out that these issues are very common in autistic children! It's related to their sensory/social skill issues. He mostly potty trained right around his third birthday. But he had never, ever pooped in the potty. Never. Not once. He had bowel control. He just wouldn't go in the potty! He would ask for a diaper and go in that instead. Oh, yes...we tried everything. We tried ignoring it and waiting for him to mature out of it. We tried sticker charts. We tried bribes. We tried just refusing to give him a diaper at all (um...major backfire...he just wouldn't poop at all. For days.). None of it worked.
But yesterday we unexpectedly ran out of Jack-sized diapers (the other two mostly use cloth, but he has used disposables since around his first birthday). I knew I was going grocery shopping this morning, and I really didn't want to have to make a run to the store just because we lacked one diaper to get through the day. I told him we were out and I encouraged him to just give the potty a try. Now, we've done this before, accidentally and on purpose, several times over the years, and it never worked. I don't know why yesterday was different, but he did it, he went into the bathroom and just did it! He said, "I made a poop stick!" And so, today I have been making good on three years worth of bribes...we bought a new Thomas train today,
and we had a "potty party" complete with chocolate cupcakes and ice cream. And he used the potty again today!
I couldn't have been prouder if it happened three years ago!
4 comments:
Yeah, Jack!
I you ever have another poop party use empty tp rolls and tie them up with tp so they hold the tootsie rolls party favors!!
That's great news! My big boy was admiring Jack's newest tank engine (he's looking over my shoulder). Take this anyway you want...big boy sends a big, "Toot! Toot!" to Jack. LOL!!!
YEAH!!!!!! That is so wonderful. This is such a difficult area for children with autism. One I have watched many parents struggle with (the problem with being a teacher is a child can easily hold their bowels all school day, and you never have an opportunity to work on it). Continue to reinforce, reinforce, reinforce. I am talking candy/cupcakes everytime he goes for weeks (not just days like you would with a different child). I am sooooooo proud of Jack and soooo proud of you guys for taking a laid back approach on this, which was obviously the right way to go with your little guy.
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