Step 2: Recording and calculating how often to take the child to the toilet

This article is part of the Ready Steady Potty series. It is based on a video created by Sethu Centre. The presenter guides you through the process of recording and calculating how often to take the child to the toilet. The first steps for toilet training the child are to ensure proper communication, using supportive tools and positive reinforcement. Once parents are prepared, it is time to figure out how often the child should be taken to the toilet. It is the parent’s duty to understand when and how often to take the child to the toilet. This will ensure that the child understands that trips to the toilet means that they have to use it to pee, gradually they will also understand to go to the toilet themselves or ask to be taken, when they have the need.

Record the timings

The first step is to understand how often to take the child to the toilet. To do this, it is important to record the timings, each time you take the child to the toilet.

• For the first 2 weeks, it is important to check if the child is dry or wet every 30 minutes. This information can be noted in a table. An example of the data table is shown in the video. For example:

1. During the day, at 9 am in the morning if the child is dry, we can write ‘D’ in our data sheet. 
2. This has to be repeated every half hour, so at 9:30 am, if the child is dry, once again mention ‘D’ in the data sheet. 
3. During the next half hour that is at 10 am if the child is wet ‘W’ can be written in the data sheet. 
4. Change the child into dry clothing, and repeat the process again, throughout the day, every 30 minutes.

Here, the parent is only checking if the child is wet or dry at intervals of 30 minutes. Do not try to train the child, yet. In cases where it is not possible to check at every 30 minutes, then this can be done at hourly intervals.

Calculations

Once the data is recorded, the next steps are:

• To calculate the average amount of time that the child can stay dry for each day.
• Count the numbers of ‘W’s between 6 am and 8 pm (14 hours) each day. Ignore the first ‘W’ of the day, which may be immediately after the child gets up from their sleep.

For example:

1.   There are 8’W’ on a given day.
2.   Divide the number of hours for which the data was maintained (14 hours) with the number of ‘W’s – 14/8 = 1.75. This is the average at the end of each day
3.   Now add up all the averages at the end of each day, for instance if the exercise is done for 10 days, then add all the averages obtained for the 10 days, which comes up to 14.69 (in this example)
4.   Divide this by the number of days the data was recorded for. Here it comes up to 14.69/10 = 1.469
5.   Then covert, 1.469 into minutes by multiplying it with 60, so, 1.469X60= 88 minutes

This gives the average dry period for the child, which in this case is 88 minutes or 1 hours 28 minutes. 

• This means that the child can remain dry for 1 hour and 28 minutes and needs to visit the bathroom to pee after such time. So, in this instance, the child should be taken to the bathroom to pee, after every 1 hour and 28 minutes.
• Similarly, at the appropriate time, based on your calculations, say to the child “It is time to go to the bathroom”. Remember, do not ask but simply tell the child and take him to the toilet.

Recording of data and calculating a correct time to take the child to the toilet to pee, will help in gradually training the child to use the bathroom to pee. The more the child uses the toilet, the fewer accidents will be noticed, helping the child understand how and when to use the toilet.

The video is part of a session that is divided into 5 parts, Getting ready for toilet training, Recording, Trip Training, Self Initiation, and Poop Training. These will help parents learn the systematic steps involved in their child’s toilet training.

After pursuing her training as a special educator, the presenter, Madhura Manerikar was compelled to devote her time and teaching skills to children with special needs. During her work experience at Sethu, she developed an interest in teaching children with autism.

If you have questions about Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, or other intellectual disabilities, or have concerns about developmental delays in a child, the Nayi Disha team is here to help. For any questions or queries, please contact our FREE Helpline at 844-844-8996. You can call or what’s app us. Our counselors speak different languages including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, and Bengali.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this article is for information purposes only.