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9 y.o. daughter w/high functioning autism. 6 months ago she stopped using the public restroom, didn't have a reason. There's nothing physically wrong with her. It's a school vacation and I'd like to take a trip but she gets miserable when she hasn't gone all day-any suggestions?
Thanks for the response. She used to use restrooms all the time. I could try that, and see what happens. I force her to practice all the time at public restrooms, but she just sits down and holds it.
Is this causing a problem (i.e., accidents)? If it's not, I'm not sure I would worry about it.
Around 2nd grade or so, I decided public bathrooms were evil and refused to use them. I went the entire school day - about 6 - 7 hours - without using the toilet all through the remainder of elementary school and then junior high. I think I had to use it once. I can't remember using public restrooms anywhere else either during that time period.
Around high school, I found that I wasn't able to make it all day but it took considerable effort to actually use the public restroom. Not for any particular reason, just personal reluctance.
Today I have no issue except for vault toilets and porta potties which I detest using and avoid using them at all cost.
It could also be a sensory issue. Automatic flushing toilets can be very loud and can also splash water on you. My daughter did not like public restrooms because of the loud hand dryers. I solved that by grabbing some toilet paper on the way out so she could use that instead.
I'm not sure from your post if your daughter is non-verbal. Is she able to say why she doesn't like the bathrooms? Something happened for sure to change her mind. You just may have to get her to talk about it or perhaps even draw what it's like (another technique I used with my daughter when she was younger).
I was thinking it's either the noise of her own automatic flushing toilet, or the combined sounds of the other flushing toilets plus those hand dryers.
Maybe you could practice with her wearing an MP3 player that plays soothing or familiar music. If she's afraid of the toilet flushing while she's sitting, sticky notes placed over the sensor work really well.
Start with trips to a nearby fast food restaurant for practice. Baby steps!
Also if she enjoys rewards, bribe her. Even if she's in the bathroom sitting and doesn't go, that's still reward worthy. Offer a larger reward if she actually goes.
I was thinking it's either the noise of her own automatic flushing toilet, or the combined sounds of the other flushing toilets plus those hand dryers.
Maybe you could practice with her wearing an MP3 player that plays soothing or familiar music. If she's afraid of the toilet flushing while she's sitting, sticky notes placed over the sensor work really well.
Start with trips to a nearby fast food restaurant for practice. Baby steps!
Maybe something happened to her -- like getting splashed or she encountered a particularly nasty bathroom at some time. Lots of people don't like public bathrooms.
Maybe try one of these products "Travel John." Travel John
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