@skyeems4 recently asked us a question on Twitter. “Any suggestions on “fixing” a tactile problem w toilet paper? I have tried every brand, texture, color..:-(”
Our son, Alex, and our eldest daughter Kennedy also have tactile issues. Our immediate suggestion was to try flushable wipes since it would probably be a familiar sensation from when you changed them as babies. But this is only a stopgap on your way to solving the problem. The first thing to do is find out if this is truly the toilet paper or what it’s used for. Try handing your child a piece of toilet paper in any other room besides the bathroom or loo as they say across the pond. Hand them a piece of toilet paper without telling them what it is and see if they will hold it. You may need to be sneaky because the mere sight of it may trigger the behavior. Use a pair of scissors and cut a piece of toilet paper into a shape like a star or a circle – anything but what a piece of toilet paper looks like. Hand it to your child or simply put it on table and ask them to pick it up. If they do and don’t have an issue, you know it’s the wiping sensation they have a problem with and they have associated that discomfort with toilet paper. Either way, the solution to the problem is still the same.
Hypersensitivity is common for kids with autism but that’s no reason to spend the rest of your foreseeable future carrying around wipes in your purse or back pocket. If child is still receiving ABA or other therapy, talk to your supervisor about a systematic desensitization program. Basically, that’s a fancy way of saying you have to get them used to the toilet paper. Very, very slowly. if your child is not in therapy, you need to speak to your local regional center. This is one of many services that they will cover. For detailed step-by-step instructions on how to do this, including phone numbers of every regional center in all 50 states, see our new book, “Navigating Autism: The Essential How-To By Parents for Parents.” Sorry for the shameless plug, but if we don’t do it our agent gets very cross with us.
Okay, back to our story – the systematic desensitization program was first developed to combat phobias like fear of heights, bridges, clowns, people who spell Mark with the letter “c.” Whatever you can think of, I guarantee you someone has a phobia of it. There is even a phobia of phobias (Phobophobia) and a phobia of not having a phobia. All right, I just made that up. With ABA therapy, things are broken down into smaller and smaller steps. This helps the child achieve success and allows you to see progress. When our son, Alex, was 4-years-old he could not stand the feel of underwear on his skin. After many attempts, he would just go crazy if we even showed him a pair of underwear. Our therapy company broke it down into steps. First, we got him to just go to his underwear drawer. Then we got him to open it. After days of doing this, we got him to touch a pair of underwear inside the drawer. Days after that, he picked up a pair and held it for a few seconds. It was a couple of weeks before he actually pulled a pair up and wore them for a few seconds. Long story short, he’s okay now. It was a long, arduous and messy process but it was successful and that what counts.
We hope this helps out.
Cheers,
Mel & Andy
