Paje - toilet training

[Guest guest]

Dear Paje,

Welcome and it is wonderful that you are searching for information to

use with your student. That shows a lot of dedication.

As far as toilet training goes, we had a VERY hard time with our

daughter. Several things finally made the process click for her.

First, at school, a predictable schedule was used. She wore pull-ups to

school and the staff took her to the bathroom when she arrived, right

before lunch, right after lunch, and right before leaving school. She

was shown the schedule card for toilet to carry each of these times and

people signed to her. She started to use the toilet sometimes during

these scheduled visits, but at home we saw NO success as our schedule is

hardly ever predictable with 3 kids.

When she was 10 years old we took her to the HANDLE Institute in Seattle

(they will make a presentation in Houston) and they pointed out that one

of the factors affecting our daughter was probably weak sphincter

muscles. We knew this was true because she had required a

fundoplication at 6 months old due to aspirations and reflux. We had

gone to them looking for solutions to communication problems, but also

got information in other areas such as toileting.

The approach they suggested was for Kendra to drink a glass of water

everyday through a " crazy " straw in order to strengthen the mouth

sphincters. The crazy straw has many loops in it making it a bit more

of a challenge than a straight straw. They explained to us that by

strengthening one set of sphincters it is possible to strengthen other

sphincters throughout the body in the process. They also suggested she

close her eyes during the drinking as that would also help. The sucking

through the straw actually strengthened the muscels.

This must have been the last part of the puzzle for us because within

one month Kendra was using the toilet regularly and has only had a

couple of accidents since. This happened about a month before the

Boston conference in '97. Since she had better control of the

sphincters she could release when she sat on the toilet. Prior to this

tine she could hold the urine for hours but could not release at the

right time. Toileting requires both holding when necessary and

releasing at the right time.

Since Kendra had never been on such a long trip such as across the

country to Boston and had never flown before I did not expect her to be

able to use the toilet in new places as she was just newly toilet

trained. *Boy* was I surprised when we got off the plance in Phoenix

for a lay-over and Kendra quite easily used the toilet in the airport.

She then used the toilet in the plane and at the hotel and in downtown

Boston and everywhere. It was very thrilling for her to master this

milestone.

The sphincter control was the last piece she needed after learning the

schedule and the picture symbols and signs for the process.

Good luck and I think your student is lucky to have a para-professional

willing to search for information. We all have a lot to share with one

another and this list is a great way to do that!

Mom to Kendra, 12 CHARGE, , 18 and Camille, 21.

Portland, OR

keedy@...