# 10 Sensory Strategies for Potty Training and Bathroom Struggles

Ten strategies from two occupational therapy assistants for children who find the bathroom hard. Five are for starting potty training. Five are for older children who are trained but struggle with the noise, the lights or the smell. It opens with why a child might be struggling in the first place.

- Creator: [Harkla - Parenting & Child Development Tips](https://www.youtube.com/@HarklaFamily)
- Watch: [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPO6xIAJLAs)
- Duration: 10:42
- Topics: Potty Training

## What happens

### Who this is for: the child who has been struggling for months (0:00–0:32)

Rachel and Jessica are certified occupational therapy assistants with Harkla. The video gives ten sensory strategies for the bathroom, split into two halves.

### Why a child struggles to potty train (0:32–2:07)

The first challenge is poor interoception and proprioceptive processing.

### Tip 1: Make sure they are actually ready (2:07–4:10)

Starting before a child is ready causes more harm than benefit, and it may take longer in the long run. The example given is an 18 month old who seems ready to you but is not there mentally, or does not understand.

### Tip 2: Put the bathroom on a visual schedule (4:10–4:25)

When you are first potty training, getting the child on a schedule of using the bathroom at the same time every day helps.

### Tip 3: Use a social story (4:25–4:56)

A social story talks the child through the toileting process out loud, in story format.

### Tip 4: Empathy, patience and consistency (4:56–5:28)

When a child is struggling to potty train, they are not doing it on purpose. They are not fighting it just to fight it.

### Tip 5: Set the room up so they can do it alone (5:28–6:14)

Make the child as independent as possible with the toileting process. The items named are all environment changes rather than things the child has to learn.

### The second half: older children and an overstimulating bathroom (6:14–6:29)

The remaining strategies are for older children who are already potty trained but struggle with the sensory side of the bathroom.

### Tip 6: Noise-canceling headphones for the flush (6:29–6:59)

If the bathroom is too loud, or the child complains about the toilet flushing, offer noise-canceling headphones.

### Tip 7: Change the lighting (6:59–7:32)

At home, the fix is to soften the light rather than remove it. Cover some of the lights with colored paper, red for example, so the light is less bright and the color is calmer when they switch it on. A nightlight is the other option, giving them enough to see by without turning the fluorescent lights on.

### Tip 8: Mask the smells, and let the child control the scent (7:32–8:22)

Bathrooms are stinky, so give the child a way to manage it themselves.

### Tip 9: Cover the automatic flush sensor with a sticky note (8:22–9:09)

This one is specific to public restrooms with automatic flushers.

### Tip 10: Vestibular input before going (9:09–10:42)

Research shows the vestibular system is directly connected to the interoceptive system.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is my child still struggling to potty train after months?

Three underlying reasons are given. Poor interoception and proprioceptive processing, meaning they do not feel or do not understand the signal that they need to go. Difficulty with balance and postural control, which makes sitting upright on the toilet uncomfortable and can lead to refusing to sit. And difficulty with change, flexible thinking and transitions, which makes moving from the diaper routine to the toilet harder.

### What is interoception?

The understanding of the internal workings of the body, which includes knowing when to use the bathroom. If the interoceptive system is not processing correctly, the child does not feel the feeling that tells them they need to go.

### How do I know if my toddler is ready?

They show interest in the toilet and ask questions when you use the bathroom. They start taking their diaper off when they go, or hide when they go. You can see them struggling to go. They can tell you their diaper is wet or that they pooped. Starting before a child is physically, emotionally and cognitively ready causes more harm than benefit and may take longer overall.