Toilet training can be one of the most challenging milestones for both children and their parents. Whether it’s a new skill for your child or you’ve been working on it for some time, occupational therapy (OT) can help by looking at the skills that sit underneath toileting. But what exactly does OT do for toilet training, and how can it support both your child and your family? In this blog post, we’ll break down how OT can help, what to expect from therapy, and what we work on together.
Is My Child Ready for Toilet Training?
Using the toilet independently relies on a group of skills that develop over time. Before starting, it can help to look at whether your child:
- can sit on the toilet or potty steadily, with their feet supported (this relies on core strength and balance)
- can cope with the bathroom itself: the sound of the flush, the echo, the smells and the feel of the seat
- shows signs of noticing their body, such as pausing, hiding or telling you when they are wetting or soiling
- can follow a simple instruction and is interested in what others do in the bathroom
If some of these are not there yet, that is common and it does not mean something is wrong. It may mean starting with the skills underneath first. An occupational therapist can look at which of these skills are in place and which need support.
What Does Occupational Therapy Do for Toilet Training?
Occupational therapy (OT) supports children in learning the skills needed for independent toileting. OT doesn’t just focus on teaching kids how to use the toilet, it takes a holistic approach, addressing the physical, cognitive, and emotional factors that play into the process. OT helps children with:
- Motor Skills: These are the physical actions involved in toileting, like pulling pants down, sitting on the toilet, wiping, and flushing.
- Sensory Sensitivities: Many children have sensitivities to certain textures, sounds, or smells that can make the bathroom experience uncomfortable or overwhelming. OT can help them manage these sensory challenges.
- Emotional Readiness: OT helps children build confidence and self-regulation, which is key for managing the emotional aspects of toilet training, like anxiety or fear of the bathroom.
- Routine and Independence: OT teaches children how to follow consistent routines and gradually gain independence in toileting.
What Training Has the OT Team Done in This Field?
Our occupational therapists are continuously expanding their knowledge and skills in toilet training interventions. Therapists at My Therapy Space have completed further training including:
- Rebecca Khan’s workshop on Learning to Conquer the Wees and Poos: Behavioural management of constipation/encopresis and urinary incontinence in children – the basics and beyond.
- Rebecca Khan’s workshop on Toilet Phobia
- Talking Toileting: Series 1 & 2 presented by Debbie Atkins and Di Collis
What Will This Look Like for Your Child’s Therapy Session?
During therapy sessions, your child will engage in activities tailored to their specific needs and challenges. Here’s what you can expect:
- Sensory Integration Activities: If your child is sensitive to certain textures or sounds in the bathroom, we will work on exercises to help them gradually get used to these sensory experiences.
- Motor Skill Practice: We’ll practise movements like pulling down pants, sitting on the toilet, wiping, and flushing. These tasks may be broken down into smaller steps for easier learning.
- Visual Schedules and Social Stories: To help your child understand the steps involved in toileting, we may use visual supports such as picture schedules, social stories, or even role-playing with dolls or action figures.
- Creating Positive Toileting Experiences: We’ll work together to make toileting a positive and empowering experience, helping your child build confidence and a sense of success at their own pace.
- Parent Coaching: We teach you the steps you need to follow through with therapy in the child’s natural environment at home.
What Resources Do We Use for This?
To support your child’s progress, we use a variety of resources and tools in our OT sessions, including:
- Visual Schedules: Picture charts that show each step of the toilet routine.
- Social Stories: Stories that teach children about appropriate toileting behaviour in a fun and accessible way.
- Adaptive Tools: Items like step stools, potty training seats, and other tools that can make the toilet experience more comfortable and accessible.
- Sensory Integration Activities: Techniques to address sensory issues that might make toileting overwhelming for your child.
- Pretend Play Toys: Toys to model the steps of toileting and to allow children to explore in a child-friendly way.
How Will We Support Your Family in This Area?
We understand that toilet training can be stressful, and our goal is to support your family through every step of the process. We will:
- Work closely with you: We’ll collaborate with you to create a plan that fits your child’s unique needs and your family’s routine.
- Provide strategies for home: We’ll share practical tips that you can use at home to reinforce what your child is learning in therapy.
- Offer ongoing support: If challenges arise, we’ll be there to provide guidance and adjust the approach as needed.
We know that this is a big step for your child, and we are here to help you feel confident every step of the way.
Tips to Try at Home
- Learn your child’s pattern. For a few days, note when your child usually wets or soils. Many children have a rough rhythm (for example, soon after waking or after meals), and timing toilet sits around it helps you stay one step ahead.
- Keep the routine the same. Sitting at the same times each day, with the same steps in the same order, helps your child get used to the sights, sounds and smells of the bathroom.
- Make it fun. Children learn through play. A sticker chart, a small box of toys kept only for toilet time, a toilet song or a short game can all help your child want to sit.
- Find your child’s motivator. What works for one child may not work for another, and it can take a few tries to find the right one. That is okay.
- Keep it calm. Accidents are part of learning. A matter-of-fact response helps your child stay relaxed about the toilet.
If you are not sure where to start, or toilet training has stalled, our OT team at My Therapy Space can talk it through with you. Contact us or read more about occupational therapy.
What We Work On Together
Together, we work on goals such as:
- Building confidence with using the toilet.
- Practising the motor steps of toileting.
- Getting more comfortable with bathroom sounds, smells and textures.
- Following a toileting routine at their own pace.
- Feeling less worried about the toilet.
We aim to work towards your child’s toileting goals at their pace, in a way that feels positive for the whole family.
Toilet training is an important milestone, and with the support of occupational therapy, your child can learn and grow through the process with confidence. If you have any questions or want to learn more about how OT can help your child, don’t hesitate to reach out! We’re here at MTS to help guide you and your family every step of the way.
Why Toileting Can Be Hard
Toileting draws on many skills at once: noticing the need to go, sitting steadily on the toilet, managing clothes, and coping with a bathroom that can be noisy, smelly or unfamiliar. Feelings matter too: some children feel worried or rushed, and that can make a hard task harder. Every child builds these skills at their own pace.
If toileting is a daily struggle in your house, you are not alone. Send a referral through our contact form, call 07 5559 9888 or come in and see reception. You do not need a letter from a GP.