Toilet Training Tips from OT

Toilet Training Tips from OT

Toilet Training tips from OT address areas of Movement, posture, coordination, Balance, and Sensory processing of the child. The contribution of each of these areas helps a child in achieving Independence in the Toileting activity.

Let us look at a few toilet training tips from OT:

Toilet training begins when we notice signs of toilet readiness:

Observe for following signs:

1. The child understands they are wet
2. They pull down wet clothes or soiled diapers
3. They nod affirmatively when asked if they need help with using the toilet
4. The child displays a fixed schedule of motions activity

Approaching Toilet Training:

1. Plan the week to introduce the child to the washroom environment. Encourage Exploration and identifying parts like the tap, commode, toilet lid, and so on.
2. Play ‘match the picture’ with the object:

• -Match the card with a tap near the actual tap.
• -Commode picture near the commode
• -The toilet rile picture near the toilet roll
• -The soap and tap picture cards near the soap and tap pictures

3. Encourage the child to open and close taps. Also, pretend to wash hands and have the child join you. Alternatively, play with lather on soaping and wash off hands.
4. Ask the Child to lead you for going outside the washroom.
5. It helps to stick a step-by-step chart for using the toilet. This chart helps as a visual reminder to the child.
6. Have the child sit on the toilet seat with the pants on. Engage the child in games like bubble blowing or a book reading session. All this when the child seats on the toilet seat.
7. Also, encourage the child to reach for the toilet paper, and tear the paper while being on the toilet seat. (Do have the book or bubbles as a backup.)
8. Wash hands after successful sitting for 3 to 5 minutes.
9. When the child gets comfortable with the above, proceed to use the toilet seat. You can sit with them and talk in the early days of toilet usage. Remind them of the next step.

Remember to have a book, toy, or soap bubbles as backup

Follow the toileting steps with this toy as Pretend Play with a toy.

The toileting activity can be broken into the following subtasks:

1. opening and closing the door
2. raising commode cover.
3. then pulling down pants and underpants,
4. washing/ wiping clean,
5. pulling up underpants and pants,
6. washing and wiping hands
7. opening and closing the door

Training and games that target these areas are selected for everyday practice. They are skills like:

1. Motor planning: Understanding the steps to use the toilet
2. Bilateral integration: using both sides of the body to wear and remove lower body clothes
3. Sitting and standing balance: while sitting on the seat and wearing clothes
4. Maintaining Posture: in all the necessary steps of Toilet use
5. Reaches without losing balance: when reaching for backwash, toilet paper, or pulling up pants.
6. Turning to left or right: to retrieve and keep things back

Let us look at Games that target skills needed for toilet training:

1. Balance board games, therapy ball activities
2. Climbing and descending during obstacle courses
3. Reaching for Toys, stickers on pants, and transfer of toys
4. Squatting during planned activities
5. Core strengthening games like superman postures
6. Fine motor skills that have elements of grasp, release, pressure elements
7. Use of ADL boards to Practice the use of Knobs, zips, taps, buttons

Modifications that will help children while training:

1. Reducing Toilet ream, Padded toilet seats, Or seats with steps and handles, footrests
2. The child wears elastic-waisted pants without fasteners for easy removal or lowering of clothes, loose clothes
3. Sensory modifications like warm light, use of air freshener, noise cancellation headphones, if necessary, koosh ball to hold on to

Get in touch with us if you seek guidance for toilet training your child. We will help you.

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Activities for Balance and Coordination in Children

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Amruta Tamboli

Amruta Tamboli is an Occupational Therapist at 1Special Place. She also contributes by writing blogs.

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