Using Special iApps to Toilet Train Without Going Potty

A few months ago I had the pleasure of meeting inspirational duo Bev and Colin Dean. 

Special iApps are a fun, visual way to learn

These committed parents have developed a comprehensive and inexpensive set of Apps for children with additional needs. Their son has Down's syndrome and they created Special iApps to help with his communication needs. 

The apps can be used to help children at various levels of literacy, beginning with picture matching, working with words and then sentence level stories.

Here, one Mum describes the Special iApps role in helping her daughter potty train:

As a mother to three children, I had experienced toilet training twice before. My first two children were very easy and I followed their lead as to when they were ready. 

They both did the same thing, hiding when they needed to poop, usually behind a curtain. They both loved their potty and were very proud to be out of nappies. Both were dry, day and night before they were 3 and I never had any issues with bedwetting. I took it for granted how easy it was and how lucky I had been really.     

So now as I face toilet training with Maya who is 4 and has Down syndrome, I know I am embarking on a completely different journey.

I did attempt toilet training with her when she turned three as a friend was having success with her daughter and I felt I wanted to give it a go.

At that time, Maya was not ready and the process was stressing her out to such an extent that I abandoned the task and decided to try again later.

I realise now that I hadn’t really prepared Maya at all for this total change in her routine and knowing how she doesn’t take well to new situations without warning, I have decided to make sure that this time I had strategies in place to enable her to feel secure and know the path we are on.

and words

As Maya loves using the iPad and is so familiar with Special Words and Special Stories by Special iApps, I knew that the Apps would be fantastic tools to help Maya to become familiar with the images and words associated with toilet training.

I used images to create a new profile in Special Words and used Special Stories to put together a little sequence of the stages for using the toilet: pants down, toilet time, wipe, pants up, wash hands, towel dry etc…

I have also put up a sticker chart in the bathroom and made up some simple songs to sing whilst Maya uses the toilet.

We are now a week into the training and Maya is doing really well! Of course she has accidents and I expect it to take a few months before she totally gets it but I feel that, with the preparation I have made, we have a greater chance of success and Maya will hopefully find the journey as stress free as possible.

NOTE:

If you have Special Words and Special Stories and would like to download FREE toilet training resources they will be available soon from:

https://www.specialiapps.org/en-gb/free-resources.html

You may also like to read more practical advice and toileting tips in Ode to Potty training by Downs Side Up here.

Contact ERIC the childhood continence experts here.