Toilet Training Readiness in Autism: Are We Waiting Too Long to Start?

One of the most common questions I hear from families is, "How do I know if my child is ready for toilet training?"

It's a great question—but I sometimes worry we're asking the wrong one.

For years, parents and professionals have relied on checklists of "readiness signs": showing interest in the bathroom, staying dry for long periods, asking to use the toilet, wanting to wear underwear, following directions, telling adults when they need to go…the list goes on.

The tricky part is there isn't actually universal agreement on which of those signs matter, or how many a learner needs before it's appropriate to begin. Reviews of the research have identified more than 20 different readiness indicators, with little consensus among experts.