How do you potty train a child with down syndrome?

Answer 1

The procedure is the same as it would be with a typcially developing child. The main difference is that the developmental milestones are usually all delayed in children with Down Syndrome, so the child will likely be older than average when toilet trained.

My sister has Down Syndrome, and she was born in 1965, before IDEA and the right to education. In that era, parents were told that their child was "a Mongolian idiot" and advised to institutionalize the child. My parents ignored that advice and brought Beth home, where we found that she really was like most babies in most ways. She was toilet trained at about 3 years old.

Because I saw how successful a kid with Down Sydrome could be, I became a special education teacher, and I have since toilet trained quite a few kids with Downs. A big part of our classroom success is getting the kid out of pull-ups. The big problem with pull-ups is that the child never gets the feeling of being wet, which is one of the motivating factors in using the toilet.

What we do is to put the child in regular underpants and to sit them on the toilet every 2 hours. We try to get them to drink extra fluids in the 30 minutes before toileting. Then we give them lots of reinforcement (verbal praise, adult attention) for sitting on the toilet. If they go on the toilet, we "have a party" - lots of praise and high-fives, and maybe an edible reinforcer (M&M or goldfish cracker) and a sticker on the chart. If the child has an accident, you - and the child - will know right away if the child is in underpants. Then you just say - "Oops - pee (or poop) goes in the toilet." Lead the child into the bathroom, have him help clean up, and then sit on the toilet for just a minute, to reinforce that "this is where we pee and poop."

My experience has been that Down Syndrome kids are not as difficult to toilet train as kids with autism. But in any case, I strongly advocate getting the child into regular cloth underpants and being prepared to clean up a few messes. And an interesting observation: My assistants and I have observed that low income parents seem to potty train their children earlier than the more well-to-do. We suspect that the high cost of diapers or pull-ups motivates the parents to get serious about toilet training at an earlier age. I don't make a value judgment about this, but it is an interesting phenomena.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

How old is the child? Is the child refusing or afraid of using the potty?
In the beginning you might try using a timer, when it goes off the child must try to use the potty. If the child is 3-4 yrs, set it for every 30 minutes.

Answer 4

A lot of people have success with the reward system. M&Ms work well. When the child has success, they receive an M&M (or similar reward). Praise works well "Wow! You are a big boy/girl now!" Without knowing the functional level of the child it is tough, but assuming they have the capacity to learn functional skills of self care you will find that patience and time will help. Be consistent, and don't make a big deal of accidents so the child will not associate the potty with bad experiences. Sitting with them and chatting with them or singing with them will help them to relax. Normalize the process with your child, and make it an everyday routine event. "Go to the potty first, and then we....."
I know that the down's child can be stubborn, but stay cool and calm... it will happen.

Answer 5

The same way you do any other child. You may need a lap belt and a chest belt to hold the child on the potty. I have done it several times.

Answer 6

Tough... My son is seven and is still not fully potty trained... He is aware of the fact that it's "...yucky..." and such, but doesn't quite get it yet. Time, discipline, and patience are the key (I believe)...