So how do you know when the time is right? Each child starts their potty training process & toilet training at different ages and that's the same with wiping their own bottom. For some children, this may happen as early as 3-4 years old and for others, they may not be physically or mentally ready until 5+ years old.
If he is in school or pre-school he will probably already be doing lots of work on co-ordinating those fine and gross motor skills already, so if there are no developmental delays that could be impacting him, practice is all he needs. By the age of 5, most children should be capable of wiping effectively.
Demonstrate the proper technique.
Show your child how to hold the wipe flat in their hand (not wadded into a ball). And then walk them through the process of wipe, fold, wipe, fold, wipe until they don't see anything on the wipe anymore. That's how they'll know they're finished and ready to flush.
One preschool I called (that did not have potty-training support) said that while a teacher will accompany the child to the toilet, they do not assist the child in wiping.
Psychological issues: Smearing is more likely to happen with children who have processing differences such as autism or attention deficit disorder (ADD). It may also occur in children who have experienced trauma, or have anxiety or depression.
So how do you know when the time is right? Each child starts their potty training process & toilet training at different ages and that's the same with wiping their own bottom. For some children, this may happen as early as 3-4 years old and for others, they may not be physically or mentally ready until 5+ years old.
The reasons for smearing
The reason an autistic person might smear their faeces could be medical, sensory or behavioural and include: feeling unwell or in pain. being reluctant to wipe because toilet paper is too harsh. not knowing where faeces need to go.
Try to keep it light and make it fun. Make it a good part of her daily routine and praise her achievements. Talk positively and reassure her every time she uses the toilet paper correctly and wipes herself front to back. Watch when she does it and be supportive when she doesn't get it right.
Encopresis (or soiling) is a disorder in which a child over the age of four repeatedly poops in places other than the toilet, like their clothes or the floor. Some children with encopresis have problems with normal pooping, like constipation. Some children are afraid or anxious about pooping, so they try to hold it.
The term smearing is used to describe children spreading poo on walls, furniture, themselves… anywhere apart from the toilet/potty or pants/nappy.
You can try softer paper or a Bidet. Sometimes kids just find poop repulsive even if it's their own. Trauma may be another reason she doesn't want to wipe, be it something happened one day while she was wiping or something happened in that area by another person. Definitely ask more questions I'm sure she will open up.
Encopresis is a condition where a toilet-trained child has bowel movements when they are not on the toilet. Constipation usually causes these accidents. While encopresis can be frustrating, as a parent, have patience and offer encouragement as your child adjusts to toilet training.