Potty Training for Children With Down Syndrome

Potty training is quite easy for the normal children but it is difficult if the child is suffering from mental disabilities like Down syndrome and mental retardation. Brain of these children does not work properly and for this reason it is difficult to teach and train them. It may be irritating and also takes enough time to teach children with special needs. So you need to have lots of patience and support your child at each and every stage.

Mostly children show signs of physical readiness after 18 months whereas mentally disabled children take even more time. Therefore the parents need to be very careful. They should begin training as per the child’s mental development and not according to his age. Don’t compare your child with other normal children.

There is a difference between psychological readiness and physical readiness. Your child will show sign of psychological readiness by telling or indicating that he is not comfortable in soiled diapers. Also your child will show signs of physical readiness by using some kind of facial expression or posture to express his need to go for a bowel movement.

Children with some or the other physical disability may face problems like how to sit on the potty chair and keep him clean. A special type of potty chair should be purchased for these children. Your child will understand things slowly so don’t make him learn in a rush, give him enough time and make the process slow. Punishments should be strictly prohibited. Do not punish him even if he makes a mistake. The training should be held in a way that it matches the child’s ability and pace. Praise and applaud him if he does anything correctly and as per your instructions.

Children who are normal cry and demand to change their dirty diapers. However, you may have to do it on your own in case of abnormal child as he may not be able to express the need of changing diapers easily. Actually, his body organs do not function properly and so he is unable to tell you that he wants to go for ‘pee or poo’. These children need proper care and attention as compared to others.

Potty Training For Children With Down Syndrome

The very first step is to bring a comfortable potty chair for special children. Ask your little one to decorate the potty chair in whatever way he wants so that he becomes friendly with it. Let him spend some time with the chair observing it. Keep the potty chair in the common room. Then ask him to sit on it and watch TV. Every time when your child will need to go for ‘b m’, tell him to use the potty chair.

It is also essential to maintain a routine to take him for potty. Inconsistency will spoil the whole process. After eliminating ask him to put on his clothes and wash his hands. Make sure that your child is protected from germs.

You should make him to seat on the potty chair only for few minutes in the beginning. It would be wrong to compel them to do anything they don’t want to do. You must be well prepared for any type of delay in the training due to his resistance. Demonstration always help the child to understand more quickly so if your child has done ‘b m’ in his diapers then take it out and throw in the potty chair. In this way he will come to know that the right place to eliminate is the potty chair.

While potty training children with Down syndrome make your child to use potty chair regularly so that the child develops a habit of using it gradually. This means that you must ask your child to sit on his potty chair at least 6-8 times a day. A famous phrase says, “Practice makes a man perfect”. Make your child practice several times a day till he becomes perfect in it. But if this is tough then don’t take him to the potty frequently. For this you can maintain a chart that will keep records of the time he usually wets and soils. Thus, you can easily know at what time your child needs to go for ‘pee’.

Small children should be taken for elimination whenever they are given food or drink. A good and effective way to train the child is demonstration. Ask your child to observe his father or any other member of the house using the potty then he will learn faster. You can also give him remarks like when did you sit for potty or have you just started doing poo?

The child may go commit accidents even after knowing how and when to use potty. This is not something bad or shameful as accidents can happen with any child. Your child has no control over accidents so you must not scold him for that. There is no perfect way to stop accidents. Parents whose children are having Down syndrome should check their diaper regularly after every 30-40 minutes.

If you have just begun the potty training and your child is showing signs of resistance then it is better to stop training for sometime. Once your child is comfortable you can again begin the training. In order to motivate him you should praise and encourage him as much as possible. Decorate his potty chair with his favorite stickers or toys. You can also use a reward chart and offer treats.

Treats and rewards should be given when they stay dry for a long time. In this way accidents can be reduced.

Apart from all these a positive practice is essential for dealing with accidents. For this you must tell your child what he has done is not right, then take him to the bathroom and ask him to clean and change his clothes. Further make him practice using the potty. Your child must know:

• How to remove his pants


• How to sit on the potty chair


• How to flush the feces or b.m


• How to pull up his pants

Tips To Help You

·        Check your child’s diaper after every 30-40 minutes.

·        Offer him some liquid to drink about 15 to 20 minutes before you want him to take for eliminating. Then ask him to use the potty.

·        Potty training must be a good experience for him. Don’t shout or punish him.

·        Lots of praise is required while you are training your child especially if your child is suffering from Down syndrome.

·        You should also give him food that is suitable for eating.  Children with Down syndrome specially need it as their weight is already low.

·        As your child has mental disabilities, you must give him sufficient time to learn the process.

It is important for you to have patience and see that the child understands the process in the right way. Children with Down syndrome problem are usually potty trained at the age of 3-5.

If you face any problem due to your child’s resistance then take help from a pediatrician. Suggestions and advice given by your pediatrician will help a lot in potty training the children having Down syndrome and mental retardation.