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Home › Articles › Bedwetting › Dry Days Ahead

Dry Days Ahead

Helping Special Needs Children Learn to Use the Toilet

By Lyn Mettler

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When Tyler used to have urinary accidents, Tina did just that. "I would take him straight into the bathroom and we would clean up and wash up, so he realized what he was doing," she says. "He doesn't like to stay in dirty pants. He knows there was an accident, and he knows he needs to get cleaned."

The use of disposable absorbent underpants can be helpful when training a special needs child to use the toilet. They eliminate the need for frequent clothing changes when accidents happen, yet are a tool for teaching kids what happens when they don't make it to the bathroom on time. Because they can be disposed of rather than cleaned like underwear, kids don't feel as much shame when they wet or soil them, ultimately salvaging self-esteem.

Praising Success

With a little work, "accidents" will likely become less and less frequent, and soon your child will begin trying to use the toilet. When your child does make an attempt to use the bathroom, your response is very important.

"I think they want to please you," says Carothers. "I praise any effort that a child makes to go to the bathroom."

Tina agrees. "Reward them when they do start using the toilet," she says. "I make a big deal about it when [Tyler] goes."

And that first time your child goes to the bathroom on his own will be a special moment. As a teacher, Carothers knows. She says it's like someone's given her a million dollars.

* Actual names of people in this article may have been changed to protect their privacy.

Toilet Training Tips from Dr. Stanley Hellerstein, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Mo.:

  • Have the child try to use the toilet every one and a half to two hours while awake.
  • Encourage them to relax as much as possible while urinating.
  • Have a boy sit to urinate if balance is an issue.
  • If sitting, have a stool if their feet don't reach the ground.
  • Encourage them to drink proper fluids such as water, nectars, milk or juices without citrus fruits.


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