According to Freudian psychology, potty training is an extremely important stage of child development. While not everything Freud wrote about is accepted as truth, this stage of development is widely understood as an important milestone in personal growth. The difficulty with potty training with an autistic child can be a singular challenge. If an autistic child is ever to gain a semblance of independence, it is necessary that potty training be carried out correctly.

There are techniques for potty training a normally developing child. These practices are fairly universal, but for the most part, they do not apply to the autistic child. Toilet training an autistic child requires some adjustment to basic strategies.

When potty training a normally developing child it is common for parents to use prizes and rewards to reinforce the behavior being taught. However, when it comes to autistic children, they do not usually react in the same way to positive reinforcement. Sometimes they may acknowledge it and other times it can be totally ignored. Autism is a disorder in which social interactions are impaired. Some autistic children may even avoid close relationships with their own parents, preferring to be alone or detached. This must be taken into consideration when drawing up a plan for potty training.

Furthermore, autistic children may not have an understanding of why it is important to relieve themselves in the toilet. This breakdown in communication is extremely important to address. Many autistic children do not speak. This creates another problem in terms of potty training. However, one of the most difficult challenges seems to be breaking autistic children out of rigidly adhered to routines. Many autistic children become attached to routines and find them difficult to break out of. An autistic child switching from diapers to underwear might sense this as a threatening change. The noise of the toilet flushing could also bother them.

If you’ve looked into methods of how autistic children learn then you are aware that most are extreme visual learners. Instead of using words to communicate the importance of toilet training to autistic toddlers, it is best to utilize visuals. The rate of success in toilet training using visual cues over verbal ones in toddlers with autism has been well documented. In fact, there is an entire industry of products related to helping teach autistic toddlers how to be properly potty trained.

In terms of the visuals that can be employed, the most common type is a series of pictures, similar to a comic book that relates the behavior that is going to be taught. These cards demonstrate the entire process of using the toilet and include information on what happens after the toilet process is finished. If you’re comfortable with the idea, let your child see you use the toilet. This visual cue will reinforce what you are telling them.

One of the other difficulties of potty training an autistic child is the fact that many of them do not sense the need to use the bathroom and are prone to having accidents. One of the ways this can be addressed in through the use of a timer. Timing out when the child should go to the bathroom can turn the urge to go into a routine.

As mentioned earlier, autistic children are often fiercely opposed to change. When beginning potty training do not expect to succeed all at once. The process should be taken slow and steady, completely at the pace of your child.

Although autism is a disorder that impairs the ability to communicate in a social manner it is possible for many autistic children to learn how to function independently. Potty training is one of the most important steps that will influence the life of an autistic child. If you want further information on potty training autistic children, there are plenty of resources and experts that can lead you in the right direction.

Potty training should not be an exasperating moment for both the parent and the child. As a parent, you know it’s not easy to potty train your child. Sometimes it’s even more frustrating for the child himself. You need to learn important things that are necessary to obtain a successful potty training.

These things include whether your child is ready to potty trained, which time is the best to begin it, and the most fun way to potty training. Read the details below:

1. Pre-Potty Training

Before starting to potty train your child, it’s best to get to know about the things that can make potty training successful. You can call it pre-potty training, which means finding out and recognizing the signs whether your child is ready for the training or not. These signs include:

• The ability to hold urine for long periods of time

• The ability to follow 1-2 directions at a time

• Knows when urination or bowels movements are about to start

When he shows these signs, it means you may start the training now. During this time -or better earlier- you need to set up a plan for the training process. Though there are some different opinions of how to potty train, it’s important that you choose the best method most effective for you, your child, and the family.

2. Knowing When Your Child is Really Ready for Potty Training

It can be difficult to find out when is the best time to potty train your child. It is as if the child who has the decision for it. Generally, children are ready to begin potty training between the ages of 18 and 24 months. You’ll know when they are ready because the signs will be there.

These are some of signs to look for:

- shows an interest to use the toilet

- tries to imitate other people in the house using the potty

- is able to tell you that they need to go potty or tell you they went already

- is able to pull their pants up and down by themselves

When they show the signs, it’s time for you to begin introducing them to the potty. It’s important to get a comfortable potty chair for your children so that potty training becomes a fun activity for them.

3. Start a Night Potty Training When Your Child is Ready

After you’ve finished your child’s day potty training, you can try to introduce him to the night training. This process can happen quickly for some children and more slowly for some others. Don’t push them to do it, as potty training should not be frustrating. Letting him stay dry during the night could be a harder effort for parents. As the first step, tell your child that he is allowed to wear a diaper or pull-up during night sleep, but take him first to the bathroom and let him to potty. Tell him to not to drink too much water before sleep. Putting the potty in his bedroom is also a very good idea, in case he needs to use it when he wakes up in the middle of the night.

4. Make Potty Training Fun

Making the training fun is easy if you can take some time to be creative. Children love things that are fun and interested to them. One of the tips to create a fun potty training is by using Potty Training Doll. It is a drink & wet doll, which can be used to help make toilet training fun and easy by demonstration.

5. Important DON’Ts in Potty Training

Make sure your child is well supported during the training. You should also maintain a positive attitude toward him if you want to ensure success. Here are some of DON’Ts in potty training your child:

- Don’t start the training before he’s ready.

- Don’t put too much pressure on the child.

- Don’t try it in a stressed environment.

- Don’t yell at the child or punish him if he makes mistakes.

Hopefully those points are effective for you and your child. Enjoy your potty training experience!

I potty trained quite a few kids over the years, but I have to tell you, my daughter has been the toughest so far. She is just such a stubborn child - especially when it comes to potty training. If you are in the same situation, here are some tips that have worked for my daughter and me. With a little luck they will work for you as well.

Stick To Your Plan

Once you determined that your child is ready for potty training, it is especially important with a stubborn child that you stay consistent and stick to your game plan. Don’t go back and forth between putting a diaper on her one afternoon - because it is convenient and then expect her to go back to using the potty. This isn’t a good idea for any child in potty training, but is particularly bad with your stubborn child. On that same note, don’t give in to her when she asks for a diaper, or wets her pants. She may even try to hold “it”. Check with your pediatrician to see how long you can safely stick to your guns in that case.

Relax and Keep Your Cool

Potty training a stubborn toddler can test your patience to almost no end. You will be tempted to blow off some steam at time - and you should - but not in front of your toddler. This is a difficult time for her and she needs all your support and cheering. She doesn’t need to feel like you are disappointed in her. Do your best to relax and keep your cool. If you can’t, then step out of the room for a few minutes to regroup or yell at a pillow - out of hearing range of your toddler of course.

Make It Fun

How can you take the stubbornness right out of your toddler, when it comes to potty training? Make it fun! Add a drop or two of blue food coloring to the toilet bowl and tell your toddler she can turn it a different color by peeing in it. Drop a cheerio in the bowl for a little boy to use as target practice.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Using positive reinforcement is your best potty training tool while training a stubborn toddler. Become your child’s biggest cheerleader when she goes in the potty. You can also offer her a small treat like a few M&Ms or a sticker to show her how proud you are of her using the bathroom.

A great tool for positive reinforcement is a potty training chart. You can draw your own or find a printable potty training chart online. Each time your child uses the potty you either draw a smiley face on the chart or use a sticker. Hang the chart up so everyone can admire your child’s progress.

So you want to know the age to start potty training and how to do it successfully. There are many factors to consider when it comes to deciding to start early potty training, of which, the least important is the actual age of the child.

Obtaining the proper knowledge along with several key techniques can make the potty training process a speedy and enjoyable task. With patience and persistence it is quite possible to potty train your toddler in a matter of hours instead of weeks or even months.

Most information you will find online will say things like, the average age is between 2-3 years old and that your child should be in cloth diapers instead of disposables.

They’ll also say things like, girls are easier to train than boys or that training in the summer months will make things easier because of this, that and the other thing.

While some of it may be sound advise, I suggest you take a different approach.

Here are a few tips and tricks that you can use to start early potty training and help ensure a fast and pleasant potty training experience.

Believe it or not, if you want your child to be quickly potty trained, it is paramount that only one parent do the training

Being focused is also key, this means no television, radio, computer, phone, visitors etc

Try to create a no pressure atmosphere, remember this is supposed to be fun

Help your child be aware of needing to go potty and persuade them to want to use it.

Develop a mindset that the potty training is strictly for your child’s benefit and not for your convenience.

Create a harmonious environment for training and be 100% dedicated sharing in the experience

Be consistent and have patience and persistence.

Children mirror the emotions of their teaches and care takers. In order to be successful at potty training, you need to ensure you are in a positive emotional state.

As an aid to helping you prepare yourself for potty training in one weekend, I have written a simple exercise that may help you get in the right frame of mind. The method is based on the “Five Minute Miracle” by Marty Dow. Her book is now included with each purchase of the “Potty Train your child in one weekend” course for your reference.

Think about your child and the behavior you wish to see in your child. In this example lets consider potty training. Your desire is for your child to have clean dry clothes. Don’t concern your self with how this will happen. For example don’t focus on going to the potty or changing diapers or the like, Just focus on having a happy healthy clean dry child.

Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.

Relax and focus your attention on your breathing and the physical sensations of your body.

Start thinking about how you want your child to be.

Imagine your child playing in front of you. Imagine with as much detail as possible. See the colors, hear the sounds, smell the smells.

Imagine that you see your child surrounded by a pink ball or blanket of love. Visualize your love for your child surrounding your child on all sides.

See the two of you smiling at each other as you are both happy, safe and secure.

Feel a positive emotion like joy or happiness as you watch the imaginary scene.

Now imagine yourself telling a friend how well this process worked.

See yourself happily enjoying this new behavior pattern that you have established in your child.

Specifically see yourself praising your child for having clean dry clothes.

Feel the pride and joy of your accomplishment.

Now let the image go.

If you visualize any conflicts or problems during the session, just change the story until it fits your desires and expectations. Keep going until all you see is your success.

Take five minutes each day to perform this exercise as you make your preparations for your potty training weekend.