My child is non-verbal

It can be scary if your child is not verbally expressing themselves. Language is 93% non-verbal, which means you child is always communicating with you through their gestures and body language.

  • If your child is making sounds this is amazing! Encourage them to explore their voice. The next step is to teach your child that making sounds is meaningful.

  • Try to make access to your child's desired items harder. They should be able to see what they want but have to communicate with you to gain access. You can do this with see through boxes or shelves.

  • Your child will communicate their needs first. Information such as their name, how they are feeling, what they did at school will come later. Every steps has foundations skills we must teach first.

  • Stay away from words such as more, please and thank you .These are very general and do not specify what your child wants. If they were in school and started saying 'more' teachers would not know what they want. Please and thank you are also for social acceptance rather than your child's communication. They can be taught later.

Watch Intro Video

How do I toilet train my autistic child?

Toilet training can be stressful and overwhelming for both parents and child. You child can be toilet trained at any age (2 years and up). The important thing is to ensure that they have no behaviours as we do not want to cause them distress resulting in a negative relationship with the toilet.

  • Dedicate set times for toilet training. If it is the mornings keep this consistent so your child knows when they wake up the nappy comes off for a few hours

  • Use pants that all show if your child has an accident. Stay away from white or dark colours.

  • Toilet training happens in two stages. First is teaching what the toilet is for and the second is requesting to go or independently take themselves.

Take your time

"We never thought our son would use the toilet. I was so worried. He is non-verbal and has lots of sensory behaviours. After a moth he was using the toilet with no accidents and a week after he began to take himself. The joy I have seeing him be independent is indescribable"