Toileting skills: What does Executive Function have to do with toileting progress?

Charmaine Champ Author

A child's ability to progress with toileting can be misunderstood. Within this blog we share what Executive Function has to do with progress.

Toileting is a journey, with a set of “skills” that our children are learning! Toileting can be viewed as a sequence of different skills which ultimately result in recognising wee and poo messages and passing wee and poos in the toilet.

During the toileting journey, and the learning process, children can often be misunderstood.

Children may:

• Struggle to receive negative feedback "Oh! You've had an accident!" or "Oh no! You've wet yourself, why didn't you tell Mummy?"
• Struggle to sit long enough on the toilet, sitting for a few seconds and then leaving the bathroom to then pass a wee or a poo.
• Struggle to remember "what to do" to complete the toileting task
• Struggle to change what they are doing i.e. difficulties stopping playing to then using the toilet.

When children are misunderstood, punishments can often be shared by adults directly or indirectly i.e. "if you have dry pants today I will get you....." or "I'm really disappointed in you, you know where the toilet is, you've just been, but now you had an accident, your not going to have....."

Difficulties progressing with toileting, are not our childrens fault. One of the areas linked to toileting progress is Executive Function.

What is Executive Function?

Executive Function, is all about “7” developing areas, within the brain. Each area in the brain is a new skill that is being learned. 

The “7” areas include: 

• Adaptive thinking, 
• Planning, 
• Self monitoring, 
• Self control, 
• Working memory, 
• Time management 
• Organisation. 

Executive function is responsible for helping children learn, navigate and regulate everyday life, including progressing with toileting!

When a child is struggling with their Executive Function, it means that they may require additional support in understanding what to do with toileting to help process the information and complete the toileting task, to be able to progress. 

If a child is experiencing pee or poo accidents in the day or night, they may be struggling to:

• Recall the information needed to use the toilet
• Experience difficulties following the toileting steps
• Difficulties keeping on track with the task
• Difficulties regulating emotions or impulses

These are all connected to executive function!

What can you do as a family or school to help?

To help your child with, with toileting and their executive function, you can: 

• Confirm your child's pee, poo, drinking and eating patterns. Ensuring your child is passing soft sausage type poos. 
• Break down a task, into manageable, easier tasks. A task can be broken down by thinking about the words we use and what can be shared visually to help our children understand what to do and support their recall and the ability to keep on track with the toileting task.

How can Clear Steps Consultancy help your child progress further with toileting?

Charmaine, at Clear Steps Consultancy supports neurotypical and neurodiverse children, their families and schools in progressing with toileting as well as implementing strategies to improve executive function.

How to get the PEE & Poo in the loo! is a support group, designed to help children, their families and schools, with the main focus, helping children progress with toileting, in a way that is right for the individual child! This includes breaking down information to help children understand and process toileting.

Within the support group, LIVE and recording information is shared, with step by step guidance and opportunities to ask your questions within the LIVE Q & A sessions or when ever help is needed within the group!

Help and support is available!

Start helping your child progress with toileting today! 

Categories: children with additional needs, Toileting, wee, executive function, pee, toilet progress, neurodiverse