Guidelines for Potty Training Program by Foxx and Azrin-

“Toilet Training Persons with Developmental Disabilities”

1. When beginning the potty training program, be sure that the child is wearing regular
underpants. Diapers or pull-ups may only be worn each night while the child is sleeping,
but should be replaced with underpants when they awake.

2. Keep the child’s bladder full most of the day by giving the child as much fluid as they can
drink. Do not give the child salty foods in order to create an MO to drink. Salty foods will
cause the child to retain water.

3. Take the child to the bathroom every ___minutes. Stay on the potty for _____ minutes or
until the child voids. If the child does not void, instruct them to put their clothing back on
using minimal prompts and allow them to leave the bathroom. Boys should also be sitting
on the toilet.

4. If the child voids during this time, provide tangible reinforcement and praise immediately.
Prompt them as little as possible to pull their clothing back on and allow them to leave the
bathroom.

5. Every 5 minutes, check the child to see if they are dry. Put the child’s hand on their pants
so they can check themselves. If the child is dry, provide reinforcement and praise.

6. If the child is not dry during “dry checks”, be sure they touch the wet pants and tell them
where they are supposed to urinate. Then immediately take them to the bathroom.
Prompt them to sit on the potty, and then prompt them to stand and pull their wet pants
back up (use the minimal amount of prompts required). Immediately return to the spot
they urinated in and follow the routine again. Repeat this positive practice procedure five
times. Use full prompting if necessary. After the fifth practice, change the child into dry
clothing and have the child clean the spot where the accident occurred. Do not provide a
lot of attention at this time. Withdraw attention for one minute. The positive practice
procedure is not fun for the child. The positive practice is not an opportunity for the child to
use the toilet.

7. Typically, children will have many potty accidents when you first begin this procedure. Do
not get discouraged. Continue to implement the positive practice procedure.

8. The second time the child self-initiates, stop scheduling the child for potty time. At this
point you will not schedule them again. If you continue to schedule the child they will
become dependent on the schedule and not initiate.

9. Be sure to continue to fill the child’s bladder with fluids. Initially, more accidents will begin
to occur. Use the positive practice procedure when this happens.
 10. The accidents should cease within a short period of time. Usually the child will then begin
to initiate frequently. If the child self initiates one time and never initiates again (over the
next two weeks), start scheduling them again.

11. A requesting repertoire is not a pre-requisite for this procedure. You should not be
requiring the child to mand for potty during training (do not prompt them to ask for the
potty).

12. After the child has had 20 consecutive initiations with no accidents you may stop forcing
fluids.

13. When you are ready to try to take them to the store or other public places use the following
procedure: Fill the child’s bladder before you leave so that they should need to go as soon
as you get there. Find the restroom as soon as you get to the store. Walk in with the child
but say nothing. Walk to the stall and show them the toilet. See if they will initiate. If they
do not, try using minimal prompts.

14. Bowel training: Accidents of this type will continue to occur after the voiding is under
control. Resist the temptation to put the child back in diapers. Do not use positive practice
for BM accidents. Only require that the child clean the mess.

15. If the child has a fairly regular bowel schedule you may want to try to schedule them and
have them sit on the toilet for a while during that time.

16. Once the child is voiding and having BM’s in the potty, it is then time to teach the boys to
stand while urinating.

17. Once the child is self-initiating for a period of one month with no accidents, you may then
teach them to mand for the potty by stopping them when they are walking to the toilet,
temporarily blocking access to the toilet, and prompting them to mand for the potty. Do no
teach the child to mand until self-initiation is strong.

MODIFICATIONS:

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Adapted from Vince Carbone and Associates The Center for Autism Treatment 2009
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Emergency Plan

Physical restraint should be used only in situations where the student is in danger of hurting
himself, hurting others or severe property destruction. The use of this emergency plan is to be
reported on the same day of the occurrence by the person using the plan. Report the incident to
the clinic supervisor and senior therapist.

Clinic Director: ________________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________

Program Supervisor: ____________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________

Senior Therapist: _______________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________
Phone: __ _____________________________________________

Therapist: _____________________________________________
Email: ________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________

Therapist: _____________________________________________
Email: ________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________

Therapist: _____________________________________________
Email: ________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________

Informed Consent

Adapted from Vince Carbone and Associates The Center for Autism Treatment 2009
  As legal guardians for _______________________, I,
___________________________________________, hereby consent to the use
of the treatment procedures for Toilet Training described on the previous pages.
 I acknowledge that no guarantees have been made to me regarding the results of
this treatment.
 I understand that within the scope of this treatment there is no intent to cause
detrimental side effects to the learner.
 I understand that the treatment procedure described above will be closely
monitored by me and staff and in the even of the observation of any side effects
which might be injurious to the learner; the treatment procedures will be
immediately terminated. I understand that the decision to terminate may be made
by me or the clinical staff.
 I know I have a right to withdraw my consent for this procedure at any time and I
have been assured that should I decide to exercise that right, possible alternative
treatment options will be discussed.
 This form has been explained to me and I certify that I understand its contents.

Signature of persons legally authorized to consent for ________________________________.

______________________________________
Parent/Date

______________________________________
Parent/Date

Adapted from Vince Carbone and Associates The Center for Autism Treatment 2009
 Self Initiation Training
(Child walks to the toilet by himself)

Child’s name____________________________ Date________________________

Check under the appropriate item 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

when completed.
1. Time self initiation occurred
2. If child had trouble lowering his

Discontinue Training, Begin Maintenance Program

pants, gave minimal prompt.
3. If Child voided, gave edible and Give no Give no Give no Give no
praise while seated, then allowed him edible edible edible edible
to get up on his own, and gave
minimal prompt to flush toilet.
4. If child did not void, allowed him to
get up on his own.
5. If child had trouble raising his pants,
gave minimal prompt.
6. Gave child fluids. Give no Give no
fluids fluids
7. Inspected child for dry pants at the Every 5 Every 10 Every 20 Every 30 Every 45 Every 60 Every 90 Every Every
appropriate time intervals; gave minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes minutes 120 120
edibles and praise if pants were dry. minutes minutes
8. If accident occurred:
a. implemented positive practice
procedure.
b. note exact time of occurrence

Adapted from Vince Carbone and Associates The Center for Autism Treatment 2009
 Bladder Training Sequence
Starting time:___________ Child’s name:____________________ Date:______________________

*Start exactly on the half-hour (i.e. 8:00 or 8:30)

Check under the appropriate item when completed.

10:00
10:30
11:00
11:30
12:00
12:30
8:00
8:30
9:00
9:30

1:00
1:30
2:00
2:30
3:00
3:30
4:00
4:30
Repeat the following steps every half-hour until a self-
initiation occurs.
1. Gave as much fluid as child would drink while seated in his chair.
Note number of cups of fluid consumed.
a. Waited about 1 minute
2. Directed child to toilet using the minimal possible prompts
3. Directed child to pull his pants down using the minimal possible prompt
4. If child voided:
a. Gave edibles and praise while he was seated. Then directed him to
stand.
b. Directed child to flush toilet using the minimal possible prompt.
c. Note each time of voiding
5. If child did not void within 20 minutes of drinking the fluids, directed him to
stand.
6. Directed child to pull up his pants using the minimal possible prompt.
7. Inspected resident for dry pants 5 minutes after leaving potty and every 5
minutes thereafter; gave edible and praise if pants were dry.
8. If accident occurred:
a. Implemented Positive Practice procedure 5 times. Note time of
occurrence.

* WHEN SELF-INITIATION OCCURS, START THE SELF-INITIATION PROCEDURE IMMEDIATELY AND DISCONTINUE THE SCHEDULE
ABOVE. Give exact time of self-initiation _________________

Adapted from Vince Carbone and Associates The Center for Autism Treatment 2009
 Bladder Training Sequence
Starting time:___________ Child’s name:____________________ Date:______________________

*Start exactly on the half-hour (i.e. 8:00 or 8:30)

Check under the appropriate item when completed.

10:00
10:15
10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00
12:15
8:00
8:15
8:30
8:45
9:00
9:15
9:30
9:45
Repeat the following steps every half-hour until a self-
initiation occurs.
2. Gave as much fluid as child would drink while seated in his chair.
Note number of cups of fluid consumed.
a. Waited about 1 minute
2. Directed child to toilet using the minimal possible prompts
3. Directed child to pull his pants down using the minimal possible prompt
4. If child voided:
a. Gave edibles and praise while he was seated. Then directed him to
stand.
b. Directed child to flush toilet using the minimal possible prompt.
c. Note each time of voiding
5. If child did not void within 20 minutes of drinking the fluids, directed him to
stand.
6. Directed child to pull up his pants using the minimal possible prompt.
7. Inspected resident for dry pants 5 minutes after leaving potty and every 5
minutes thereafter; gave edible and praise if pants were dry.
8. If accident occurred:
a. Implemented Positive Practice procedure 5 times. Note time of
occurrence.

* WHEN SELF-INITIATION OCCURS, START THE SELF-INITIATION PROCEDURE IMMEDIATELY AND DISCONTINUE THE SCHEDULE
ABOVE. Give exact time of self-initiation _________________

Adapted from Vince Carbone and Associates The Center for Autism Treatment 2009