Tag: Autism Resources

5 Sensory Friendly Spots in and Around Beloit, Wisconsin 

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5 Sensory Friendly Spots in and Around Beloit, Wisconsin 
May 4, 2026
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Sheboygan Learning Center Ribbon Cutting!
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Families who have a child with autism often plan outings with more than distance or cost in mind. Noise, lighting, crowds, and how a space is set up can influence whether a visit feels manageable or overwhelming. In Beloit, Wisconsin, a handful of places stand out for offering something many families look for but do not always find. A setting that feels calm, predictable, and flexible. 

A “sensory-friendly” space usually has fewer harsh lights, lower noise, and room to move without pressure. It may include quiet areas, clear layouts, or staff who are patient and responsive. For many families, those details can turn an outing from stressful to possible. 

Here are five places in and around Beloit that families return to for that reason. 

1. Beloit Public Library Offers Calm Spaces and Flexible Programs 

The Beloit Public Library gives families space to settle in without feeling rushed. The children’s area is open and easy to navigate. Staff are accustomed to a wide range of needs, which can make visits feel more manageable from the start. 

Tip for families: Aim for mid-morning on weekdays, when the space is quieter, and your child has more room to explore at their own pace. 

2. Rotary Botanical Gardens Has Quiet Paths to Explore 

At Rotary Botanical Gardens, wide paths and natural surroundings help reduce sensory input. The setting is calm, with fewer sudden noises or tight spaces. Families can move at their own pace and step away when needed without drawing attention. 

Tip for families: Start with a short, familiar route and build from there so your child can get comfortable with the environment. 

3. Children’s Museum of Rock County Encourages Hands-on Play  

A short drive (roughly 20 minutes) from Beloit, The Children’s Museum of Rock County, in Janesville, set to open in Fall 2026, offers interactive exhibits that support independent play. The space can get busy, but earlier hours tend to be easier to navigate. Many exhibits allow children to engage on their own terms, without needing to follow a set path. 

Tip for families: Choose one or two exhibits to focus on rather than trying to see everything in one visit. 

4. Go Out to the Ballpark at a Beloit Sky Carp Game 

ABC Supply Stadium, home of the Beloit Sky Carp, offers open-air seating and room to move. While games can be loud, smaller crowds and flexible seating options can help families find a workable setup. The ability to step away without leaving the venue can make a difference. 

Tip for families: Look for aisle seats or sections near exits so you can step out quickly if your child needs a break. 

5. Telfer Park Gives Space to Move and Reset 

Telfer Park gives families space to breathe. The playground sits within a larger park with open green space, walking paths, and multiple sports fields, so it never feels crowded. Kids can move between active play and quieter areas without leaving, which can help them reset and stay longer. The park also includes a skate park, ice rink, shelter, and concession stand, with events such as baseball games and public skating throughout the year. That range makes it easier to adjust your visit based on your child’s needs. 

Tip for families: Start at the playground, then map out a short loop on the walking paths or head toward a quieter open field for a break. If there is a game or event, plan to arrive early or visit during off-peak times for a calmer experience. 

Support is close to home 

Finding the right environment can help, but many families also want support that carries into daily life. The team at Wisconsin Early Autism Project (WEAP) works with families in Beloit and nearby communities to build skills that help them meet goals in everyday life. 

Why Play is Essential to ABA Therapy for Autistic Children

Author: Eric Bowman, Advanced Behavior Technician, Total Spectrum Care | Published:
Clinically Reviewed By: Genevieve Marshall, BCBA

Play is an essential part of working with children with autism in ABA.

As a behavior technician (BT), play helps build trust and comfort between you and your client. That process starts with play, having fun, and being a kid. Getting your clients in a state of play builds this foundation for trust, which we refer to as “rapport.” When starting to work with a new client, your supervisor and/or client’s caregiver will provide you with some of your client’s special interests and activities. You can incorporate these into your sessions to make learning fun and personalized. Using rapport in combination with their preferred activities leads to successful pairing with your client.

In a Learning Center setting, for example, your supervisor may suggest activities such as playing with toys or board games or interacting with peers. Your client may quickly find interest in a Learning Center toy, game, or other activity without prompting. But, if your client doesn’t give you a direct response, give them choices based on what you know about them. For example, say “We can play with train tracks or do a puzzle. What would you like to do?” Give them different choices until they choose something.

As soon as they give you an answer or show signs of interest in something, reinforce the toy or activity by showing interest in it yourself, e.g., clapping or showing praise. In my experience, this part of the pairing process varies. Sometimes it may take a while for a client to warm up in a social environment. Other times, it happens quickly. It just depends on the individual. As a BT, this process teaches you to be patient. When you find out what interests your clients, it makes pairing with them in sessions more fun.

Natural Environment Teaching (NET) While Pairing

Playing and pairing as a BT is essential because it creates opportunities for natural environment teaching (NET). Playing with your clients encourages an environment in which they’re motivated to participate.

In my first week working with a client, we played Memory*, a matching game. This was the first time we actively played together, and I saw him deeply engaged in an activity. I learned that he has a great memory, making the game more engaging for both of us. He became more receptive to responding once his attention was directed toward the game. Playing the game created opportunities to reinforce his behavior like waiting his turn, following the rules, and using his words when he had questions. This was essential to pairing early on in our tech-to-client relationship.

Playing Memory aided me in building rapport with my client. It built trust and comfort that’s pertinent to his learning environment. I could tell he was having a good time and vice versa. This environment motivated my client to learn. He enjoyed engaging in the fun activity with me and a group of peers. Participating in group games encourages patience, following instructions, and communication between clients.

Let Play Be Your Guide

Gaining your client’s trust before you place any demands is key. They are less likely to listen to you if they don’t know who you are. That’s why it’s important to take the time to play and pair with your client and show them that you’re safe and fun to be around.

Learning to play with your clients teaches you their interests. It shows you their likes and dislikes. It also points you to different games or activities in the Learning Center or teaching environment that may trigger them. Knowing their interests allows you to identify their reinforcers and see behavior patterns that their board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) can implement into future programming.

Time Flies When You’re Having Fun

Playing can be a lot of fun for BTs. There are several Learning Center games and activities that I enjoy implementing during sessions. I do my best to engage clients in activities that we mutually like. Once we find something we both enjoy, it doesn’t feel like work.

It’s rewarding to see clients make progress on their goals. Seeing them motivated to work for their preferred activities is also reassuring. This sense of accomplishment reinforces your work as a BT and motivates a continued state of play of learning and developing communication skills.

Incorporating play into your sessions fosters meaningful connections and creates a fun and engaging environment. It builds the foundation of trust between the client and their BT. We get to play an important role in each client’s learning and development. We can help nurture each child’s unique potential through dedication – one game at a time.

Additional Resources:

*Other games for pairing with a client can be found in the Play and Learning Addendum, 2.

Five Tips for Selecting the Best Holiday Gifts for Kids with Autism

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Buying the perfect gift for kids and other loved ones can be challenging, and this can also be true when buying gifts for kids with autism. To help make your gift-giving easier, here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind when purchasing gifts for autistic children.

Focus on what brings the person joy.

Research shows that incorporating interests and preferences into the learning and play environment of kids with autism can increase positive behaviors and aid in skill acquisition (1). With that said, we can capitalize on what someone already likes. For example, if a child likes dogs, shop for games, activities, or toys that are dog-related. If a child enjoys swimming, activities that involve water play may be a hit (e.g., water tables, sprinkler toys, water beads, grow capsules). Alternatively, if a child is sensitive to loud noises, a toy fire truck with a siren may not be appropriate. Ask friends and family of the person for whom you are buying the gift what that person generally likes and/or dislikes.

Focus on the person’s strengths and abilities.

Many toys come with age recommendations, and while these recommendations are helpful, they might not always lead you to the perfect gift. A good rule of thumb when purchasing a gift is to consider the age and the development of the person for whom you are buying a gift. For example, the game “Apples to Apples” would not be developmentally appropriate for a non-verbal teen, even if it is an age-appropriate game. When looking for the right gift, focus on the person’s strengths. For instance, if the non-verbal teen mentioned above is great at drawing, then a sketch pad or an adult coloring book could be a more appropriate gift. If you are unsure about the child or teen’s strengths, ask a friend or family member of the person for whom you are buying the gift about their specialty areas and abilities.

Note: Be sensitive to how family and friends of a child and teen with autism may feel when being asked questions about the skills of their loved one. When asking questions, always frame them from the perspective of accomplishment (e.g., what skills have they mastered) and not deficit (e.g., in what areas are they delayed) to be supportive and respectful of their growth and development.

Be mindful of behavior triggers and safety risks.

Some children with autism engage in behaviors that put them or their loved ones at risk of harm. For example, if a child engages in pica (e.g., eating nonfood items), gifts containing small objects may pose as a choking hazard. Another example is if a child engages in aggression towards others, gifts with violent content may not be appropriate, as additional exposure to violence may interfere with their goals. Alternatively, a sensory-seeking child may benefit from gifts that allow them to stim. For example, if a child rocks back and forth, a swing may be a great way to meet their sensory needs. Additionally, certain objects can elicit sensory sensitivities which can trigger behaviors in some children and teens with autism (e.g., loud noises, highly preferred items, phobias, etc.). Ask friends and family of the person you are buying the gift for if there are any behaviors that possess a safety risk that need to be considered before purchasing a gift.

Focus on toys that encourage interaction with others.

Social deficits are a defining characteristic of autism. When gift-giving, try to purchase gifts that encourage social interaction. While almost any toy or game can be turned into a group play, certain activities may be more conducive to social interactions than others. For example, instead of buying a computer game, consider purchasing “Bop It,” which is an electronic interactive game that can be played among a group of friends or family.

Focus on finding new things they will love.

Children and teens with autism sometimes have restricted or limited interests (e.g., only talking about trucks or only playing with dinosaurs). To help build upon their current interests to introduce them to a wider range of activities, try finding new activities similar to their current interests. For example, if a child’s favorite activity is playing with “Play-Doh,” kinetic sand or slime may be an appropriate gift to help expand their interest due to its similarity in form of play. Ultimately, gifts that will provide new experiences may act as potential new reinforcers (e.g., stimuli that increase behaviors) and could significantly enrich the child or teen’s learning environment.

Resources

Increasing Task Engagement Using Preference or Choice-Making
Some Behavioral and Methodological Factors Affecting Their Efficacy as Classroom Interventions

For more holiday tips, check out Reducing Holiday Stress for Families of Children with Autism and Preparing for Holiday Meals.

Brain Plasticity & Early Intervention

Updated On

The following is based on a conversation Ronit Molko, Ph.D., BCBA-D and Dr. Evian Gordon, Chairman and CEO of Brain Resource.

The development of the brain is a fascinating and essential aspect of child development. The science behind the brain provides parents and practitioners valuable insight into why early intervention is so important for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.

At birth, a child’s brain is unfinished. It develops as they experience the world through seeing, hearing, tasting, touching and smelling the environment. The natural, simple, loving encounters with adults that occur through the day, such as a caregiver singing, smiling, talking and rocking their baby, are essential to this process. All of these encounters with the outside world affect the child’s emotional development and shape how their brain becomes wired and how it will work.

The experiences of babies have long-lasting effects on their ability to learn and regulate their emotions. When there is an absence of appropriate teaching and learning opportunities in the baby’s environment, the brain’s development can be affected and there are more likely to be sustained negative effects. Conversely, if we can provide ample learning opportunities, we can facilitate brain development. Let’s understand how and why.

Learning is about connection. A baby is born with more than 85 billion neurons in its brain. Neurons are nerve cells in the brain that transmit information between each other through chemical and electrical signals via synapses thereby forming neural networks, a series of interconnected neurons. This is what is meant by “the wiring of the brain” and “neurons that fire together, wire together”.

As an infant experiences something or learns something for the first time, a strong neural connection is made. If this experience is repeated, the connection is reactivated and becomes strengthened. If the experience is not repeated, connections are removed. In this way, the brain “prunes” what is not necessary and consolidates the connections that are necessary. During infancy and the first years of childhood, there is significant loss of neural pathways as the brain starts to prune away what it doesn’t believe it will need to function. The earlier in a child’s development that we create that first, correct learning experience the stronger those behaviors and skills are secured in the brain.

Children with developmental delays often experience the wiring of neurons together in a manner that is “unhelpful”, causing them to struggle with communication, social skills and other activities. These “unhelpful” connections need to be changed, which adds to the challenge and takes time. Technically, learning cannot be undone in the brain, but amazingly, with stimulation, the brain has the ability to re-process new pathways and build circuits that are helpful and functional. The brain has a remarkable capacity for change and adaptation, but timing is crucial. The earlier we create the correct connections in a child’s brain, the stronger those behaviors and skills are secured in the brain.

Intervention is best during early childhood when there are 50 percent more connections between neurons than exist in the adult brain. When a child reaches adolescence, another period of pruning begins where the brain starts to cut back on these important brain connections, and neurons that have not been used much. For children with all types of learning difficulties and developmental disorders, this understanding of the brain’s plasticity is particularly relevant, because it emphasizes why the correct type and intensity of early intervention is so critical. If we correctly understand a child’s skill deficits and design a program that appropriately stimulates the neurons in the targeted weakened areas of the brain, we can exercise and strengthen those areas of the brain to develop language, social skills etc.

So how do you train your child’s brain? In order to change the brain’s wiring and make new neural connections, a new skill needs to be practiced many times so Dr. Gordon recommends starting with one, simple task and practicing it at least 10 times per day. Measure how long it takes for your child’s behavior to change. This will help you determine your child’s rate of learning.

An example of a simple task would be teaching your child to follow a simple instruction using a preferred item such as asking him to eat his favorite food. You can then move onto a more complex activity such as requesting eye contact by saying “Look at me” and then something more complex such as “touch the car” when playing with a toy car, for example. There are many opportunities throughout the day during normal daily parenting activities (bathing, feeding, diapering, reading, etc.) during which you can support your child’s development and train his brain to respond to people and his environment.

One common question is what is possible with the brain after childhood? For many years, science has told us that brain plasticity is at its peak during childhood. However, experts now believe that under the correct circumstances, practicing a new skill can change hundreds of millions, if not billions, of connections between nerve cells in the brain even into adulthood. It is never too late to start. The most important thing to remember is that learning is what changes the brain and learning takes practice. Every opportunity to teach your child is an opportunity to shape their brain and change their future.

Continue reading “Brain Plasticity & Early Intervention”

Brain Plasticity & Early Intervention: “Neurons that fire together, wire together”

Updated On

The following is based on a conversation Ronit Molko, Ph.D., BCBA-D and Dr. Evian Gordon, Chairman and CEO of Brain Resource.

The development of the brain is a fascinating and essential aspect of child development. The science behind the brain provides parents and practitioners valuable insight as to why early intervention is important for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.

At birth, a child’s brain is a work in progress. It develops as they experience the world through seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, and smelling the environment. The natural, simple, loving encounters with adults that occur throughout the day, such as a caregiver singing, smiling, talking, and rocking their baby, are essential to this process. All of these encounters with the outside world affect the child’s emotional development and shape how their brain becomes wired and how it will work.

The experiences of babies have long-lasting effects on their ability to learn and regulate their emotions. When there is an absence of appropriate teaching and learning opportunities in the baby’s environment, the brain’s development can be affected and there are more likely to be sustained negative effects. Conversely, if we can provide ample learning opportunities, we can facilitate brain development. Let’s understand how and why.

Learning is about connection. A baby is born with more than 85 billion neurons in its brain, the major nerve cell of the brain. Neurons transmit information between each other through chemical and electrical signals via synapses thereby forming neural networks, a series of interconnected neurons. This is what is meant by “the wiring of the brain” and “neurons that fire together, wire together”. Neurons and synapses grow exponentially in the first years of life, even before a baby can walk and talk. Between birth and about 3 years of age, the number of synapses in the brain increases from about 2,500 to 15,000 per neuron.

As an infant experiences something or learns something for the first time, a strong neural connection is made. If this experience is repeated, the connection is reactivated and becomes strengthened. If the experience is not repeated, connections are removed. In this way, the brain “prunes” what is not necessary and consolidates the connections that are necessary. During infancy and the first years of childhood, there is significant loss of neural pathways as the brain starts to prune away what it doesn’t believe it will need to function. By the time your child reaches adulthood, the number of synaptic connections is reduced by half. Therefore, the earlier in a child’s development that we create that first, correct learning experience, the stronger those behaviors and skills are secured in the brain.

Children with developmental delays often experience the wiring of neurons together in a manner that is “unhelpful”, causing them to struggle with communication, social skills and other activities. These “unhelpful” connections need to be changed, which adds to the challenge and takes time. Technically, learning cannot be undone in the brain, but amazingly, with stimulation, the brain has the ability to re-process new pathways and build circuits that are helpful and functional. The brain has a remarkable capacity for change and adaptation, but timing is crucial. The earlier we create the correct connections in a child’s brain, the stronger those behaviors and skills are secured in the brain.

Intervention is best during early childhood when there are 50 percent more connections between neurons than exist in the adult brain. When a child reaches adolescence, another period of pruning begins where the brain starts to cut back on these important brain connections, and neurons that have not been used much. For children with all types of learning difficulties and developmental disorders, this understanding of the brain’s plasticity is particularly relevant, because it emphasizes why the correct type and intensity of early intervention is so critical. If we correctly understand a child’s skill deficits and design a program that appropriately stimulates the neurons in the targeted weakened areas of the brain, we can exercise and strengthen those areas of the brain to develop language, social skills etc.

While there is much evidence to support that early intervention is the preferred course of action because it capitalizes on this rapid early brain development, this wisdom often leaves parents or caretakers of teenage children with ASD feeling discouraged and concerned. Many children don’t have the opportunity to start therapy when they’re younger, and many others aren’t diagnosed until they’re teenagers. It may be easier and faster for children to learn new skills when they are younger, however, neuroscience tells us that the brain is still capable of learning during adolescent years, and this time period should not be forsaken.

So how do you train your child’s brain? In order to change the brain’s wiring and make new neural connections, a new skill needs to be practiced many times. Dr. Gordon recommends starting with one, simple task and practicing it at least 10 times per day. Measure how long it takes for your child’s behavior to change. This will help you determine your child’s rate of learning.

An example of a simple task is teaching your child to follow a simple instruction using a preferred item such as asking him to eat his favorite food. You can then move onto a more complex activity such as requesting eye contact by saying “Look at me” and then something more complex such as “touch the car” when playing with a toy car, for example. There are many opportunities throughout the day during normal daily parenting activities (bathing, feeding, diapering, reading, etc.) during which you can support your child’s development and train their brain to respond to people and their environment.

One common question is, “What is possible with the brain after childhood?” For many years, science has told us that brain plasticity is at its peak during childhood. However, experts now believe that under the correct circumstances, practicing a new skill can change hundreds of millions, if not billions, of connections between nerve cells in the brain even into adulthood. It is never too late to start. The most important thing to remember is that learning is what changes the brain and learning takes practice. Every opportunity to teach your child is an opportunity to shape their brain and change their future.

For more information, visit Developmental Milestones from the Child Mind Institute http://www.childmind.org/en/developmental-milestones/ 

Learn more about the work and resources of Dr. Evian Gordon at
https://www.mybrainsolutions.com/index.html 

Harvard’s “Serve & Return” concept of parent engagement
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/key_concepts/serve_and_return/

10 Top-Performing Podcast Episodes About Autism

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In a year when the pandemic kept many families at home and on their screens, many Americans turned to podcasts to fill their downtime. At LEARN Behavioral, we’re no exception.

We recently reached our 100th podcast milestone on All Autism Talk, where we’re connecting the autism community one podcast at a time. In celebration of today—International Podcast Day—we’re launching a new podcast with Temple Grandin discussing her latest book, Navigating Autism: 9 Mindsets for Helping Kids on the Spectrum. We’re also bringing you 10 of our highly popular episodes:

 

1. Temple Grandin – Parenting Kids with Autism

In one of our most-listened-to podcasts, Temple Grandin, PhD, an American scientist and animal behaviorist who has been a trailblazer for people with autism, shares advice for parents raising kids on the spectrum. Drawing from her experiences growing up with ASD, she talks about everything from sensory overload and excessive screen time to the need for more 1950s-style “old-fashioned methods of parenting” full of “teachable moments.”

 

2. Female Life on the Spectrum – Insights from Jennifer Cook O’Toole

Jennifer Cook O’Toole was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at age 35 and is raising three children on the spectrum. She’s the author of seven award-winning books, including Autism in Heels: The Untold Story of a Female Life on the Spectrum. In this engaging and, at times, humorous podcast, she explains why diagnosis has been widely missed in girls and women.

 

3. Addressing the Cultural Needs of Families with Autism

Corina Jimenez-Gomez, PhD, a behavioral scientist at Auburn University, and Lauren Beaulieu, PhD, a behavior analyst for Newton Public Schools in Massachusetts, team up on this podcast to talk about cultural competency and the importance of cultural responsiveness in ABA. They bring personal experience to the conversation, with Corina sharing stories of her experience as a mom and Venezuelan native, now living in Alabama, and Lauren discussing her marriage to an Italian immigrant. Both say relationship-building is an important part of navigating what can sometimes feel like a clash of cultures.

 

4. Early Identification of Developmental Delays in Children – Dr. Sharief Taraman

Dr. Sharief Taraman is a neurologist at Children’s Health of Orange County (CHOC). In this episode, he discusses how diagnostic screening can help identify developmental delays in children. Early identification and diagnosis, he says, can help families get the right treatment right away.

 

5. What to Expect from ABA Service Providers – with Dr. Hanna Rue

Hanna Rue, PhD, Chief Clinical Officer at LEARN Behavioral, eases parents’ minds in this conversation about what they can expect when it comes to applied behavior analysis (ABA) providers. How do providers apply our understanding of how behavior works to real situations? How do they help increase behaviors that are helpful and decrease those that are harmful for learning? Listen in to learn more.

 

6. The Role of Genetics in Autism, Explained

Wendy Chung, MD, PhD, director of clinical research at the Simons Foundation Autism Research Foundation, works as a molecular geneticist and physician and is something of a genetic detective who traces an individual’s symptoms to a particular genetic anomaly. In this podcast, she breaks down what we know about the causes of autism.

 

7. Autism Resource Mom – Autism Support and Information from the Best Expert, a Mom

A mother’s intuition and drive to advocate for her kids can make her the best expert when it comes to her child’s care. That’s something Debora Smith understands to the core. She’s raising a son on the autism spectrum, and she founded Autism Resource Mom, a nonprofit organization that helps families navigate the complex world of autism. Listen in to find out how she’s turned her passion into helping others.

 

8. Autism, Aggression, and Self Injury – Exploring a Mother’s Journey with ECT

More than a decade ago, Amy Lutz and her husband, Andy, struggled with a predicament no parents want to face: how could they safely keep their autistic 10-year-old son living at home any longer, considering his violent rages? Amy, a founding board member of the National Council on Severe Autism, discusses their exploration of the controversial procedure of electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT.

 

9. Making Social Skills (and Minecraft) More Accessible for Kids with Autism

As a single father, Stuart Duncan has been all about his kids. His oldest son has autism, and Stuart noticed that kids on the spectrum need a space online where they can play games without getting bullied. So, the Canadian dad quit his job to create Autcraft, a Minecraft server for kids with autism. His virtual community has given people on the autism spectrum the self-confidence to socialize on a safe gaming platform.

 

10. Medical Insurance for Autism Treatment – Understanding the Changing Landscape

Will your health insurance cover your child’s autism treatment? In this podcast, Amy Weinstock, Director of the Autism Insurance Resource Center at the University of Massachusetts, breaks down tools that can help families find out whether they are covered.

 

 

Find dozens of more episodes from All Autism Talk wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or on LEARN Behavioral’s website at www.learnbehavioral.com/allautismtalk. 

Successful Toilet Training for Kids with Autism

Published:

Potty training, toilet training, toileting… whichever term you use, tackling these skills can be a big deal for kids and their parents. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often delayed at the age of successful toilet training, even when compared to children with other developmental disabilities. The average age in which a child is successfully toileting was 3.3 years of age for children with autism in comparison to 2.5 years of age for children with other developmental disabilities (Williams, Oliver, Allard, & Sears, 2003).

Extended use of diapers may diminish personal hygiene, self-confidence and increase physical discomfort, stigmatism, risk of problems later with bladder control and restrict participation in social activities (e.g., camp, after school program, etc.). Extended diaper use for children with autism is also problematic because these children may become so accustomed to using a diaper that they often demonstrate resistance to toilet-training procedures and will prefer to wait for a diaper in order to void (Tarbox, Williams, & Friman, 2004). Teaching independent toilet skill can improve the quality of life for children with autism and their families. Families will definitely benefit from the decreased costs of purchasing diapers, their children will feel empowered to address their physical needs independently all while decreasing the risk of complications associated with extended diaper use.

Before beginning toilet-training procedures, caregivers should check with their child’s doctors to rule out any medical conditions that may prevent their child from being successful with a toilet training program. Upon getting medical clearance, the next step will be to determine whether their child is showing signs that they are ready for toilet training. The following questions will assist with this step:

  1. Does the child act differently or seem to notice when diapers or clothing are wet or soiled?
  2. Does the child show any interest in behavior related to the bathroom, toilet, hand washing, dressing, undressing or related tasks?
  3. Does the child show an interest in seeing other people involved in activities or with objects related to toilet training?
  4. Does the child stay dry for at least 2 hours during the day or does his/her diaper stay dry after naps?

Each child and family is unique; therefore, the toilet training procedure needs to be designed to specifically fit the child and his/her family’s needs. Generally, caregivers and their clinician should identify and agree upon the child’s preferred mode of communication to best indicate when they need to use the restroom. This can be a specific word or phrase (e.g., “Potty”, “I need to use the toilet”, etc.) or it can be as simple as a hand signal or the presentation of an image of a toilet. To increase the potential for success, caregivers should have a preferred item or activity available (e.g. special snacks, video, etc.) and present it as a reward the moment that their child successfully voids in the toilet.  This item should be reserved only for toilet training. The child should also receive lots of praise and high fives when he/she stay dry for a specific duration of time.

Going from using a diaper to using a toilet can be a big change and is extremely difficult for lots of children. If your child has a hard time with transitions, a picture schedule may be a helpful tool to remind him/her of what task are needed to complete the toileting routine. Some things to remember: make sure to have plenty of extra underwear and clothes, a comfortable potty chair, a timer, your child’s favorite drinks, and a positive attitude!

Toilet training may be a lengthy process and require a lot of patience. This is a big commitment but the payoff will be huge!  Make sure to consult with your behavior analyst along the way to ensure the procedure is clear and is tailored to your child and family needs.

– Dai Doan, M.S., BCBA

 

 

References

William, G., Oliver, J. M., Allard, A., & Sears, L.  (2003).  Autism and associated medical and familial factors:  A case control study.  Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 15, 335-349.

Tarbox, R. S. E., Williams, W. L., & Friman, P. C. (2004). Extended diaper wearing: Effects on continence in and out of the diaper. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 37, 97-100.