Diaper help!!
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Diaper help!!
| Wed, 05-11-2005 - 11:51am |
i need help. Matt (3 in july, ASD) is pulling his diaper off willy nilly!! he likes to have his pants off, and now his diaper too. i leave the room and come back to the diaper off and a spot of pee, or worse. he is very aware of his need to go, but he is also pulling them off when he doesn't have to go. i'm tempted to buy a week supply of overalls and shortalls to keep the diaper on. either that or get a roll of duct tape! any suggestions? he is still non-verbal with very limited receptive language so i don't see toliet training as the answer at this point.
thanks, valerie

Hi Valerie,
I don't know if I have any suggestions, but just wanted you to know, "I feel your pain!" Suzi gave me some good advice on this here a few months ago.
If you don't want to get into potty-training now, the overalls sounds like as good an idea as any. I know you have your other child too and it may not be a good time, and it is important to pick the right time in your life to start potty-training.
But if he has some signs like knowing when he has to go, and not liking to be wet, maybe you could think towards potty-training awareness? Our biggest challenge was that Eric (also 3 and ASD, but verbal) didn't care that he was wet! Does your DS have any of the other signs of readiness? (interested in family members' or pets' bathroom habits, sorry to be personal, but you know what I mean!)It sounds like he has the motor skills to pull pants up and down, which is a plus.
I recently went to a potty-training seminar run by our local autism support group. It was packed, so we are not alone! I know you may not be ready, but I'll share just in case others are curious. It did help us.
It seemed the kids fell into two categories, the "free willy" group who enjoyed being naked, and the kids who were too busy to stop or who liked the warmth etc. of diapers. Also, about half the kids were verbal, the other half not.
She suggested at first looking at books about potty training, or videos, and making a picture strip with the steps that you post in the bathroom. When they seem to take an interest and you're ready to go for it, ditch the pull-ups, pump them with liquids and take them to the potty on regular intervals. If they do something, reward with a super-duper reinforcer. If they pee somewhere in the house, calmly take them to the potty immediately so they start to associate that room with the activity.
The method outlined was pretty ABA oriented, using reinforcers for positive attempts. Our problem was doing no. 2. Eric was pretty good at no. 1 but would go in the corner or somewhere to do no. 2. The lecturer suggested rewarding him first for "hiding" in the bathroom. Then for sitting on the potty, then for doing it in the potty, etc. So far this seems to be working. We still have a few accidents, but not as many. She emphasized not hanging out in the bathroom playing etc., that it is a place to get business done.
She also emphasized the importance of really enticing reinforcers. This is where we were not succeeding. Stickers and verbal praise didn't get it. Once I gave in and made jelly beans the reward for no. 1 and a beloved Thomas video the reward for no. 2 we saw great improvement!
Anyway, I understand it may not be a good time and the overalls do sound like a solution, but maybe you could start with looking at a few books, or having your DH take him to the potty with him, since your kiddo sounds like he may be on the way to readiness. Also look back into old posts, if you haven't already, I think there are some good ideas there too.
Either way, I've heard from folks here and my doctor that for ASD kids potty training is a challenge and sometimes a long process. It can take until they are 5 before they really get it. So hang in there. We've been at it for 6 mos. and only now, after I went to this seminar, did we really see some progress. Maybe he wasn't ready, maybe we weren't using the right method, or some combination of the two.
Whatever you decide,good luck!
Katherine