Sensory Factors

Here are some common sensory‑related challenges and ideas to help:

• The child may dislike the feel of dry toilet paper — try moist toilet wipes.

• The child may be overwhelmed by sights or sounds in the bathroom — keep the area calm and simple.

• The toilet seat may feel uncomfortable.

• The child may feel unsafe if their feet do not reach the floor — use a small padded seat insert and a step stool.

• Some children do not feel when they are wet or soiled.

• Some children find the feeling of weeing or pooing uncomfortable and may try to hold it in.

• A child may avoid high‑fibre foods if they have oral or touch‑based sensory needs, which can affect bowel health.

• Some children like the feeling of a nappy against their body — a waist belt may provide similar comfort without a nappy.

Every child is different. These ideas may help you start to notice what works best for your child.

The vestibular sense helps us stay upright when we move, sit, or stand.

Some children may have balance problems. They may not be able to explain this, and adults may not always notice it.

A child with balance problems may:

• feel scared of falling off or into the toilet

• feel unsafe if the toilet seat is too big

• feel unsafe if their bottom is not fully supported

• struggle if their feet do not rest on a firm surface

Helpful strategies:

• a toilet seat that fits their size

• a footstool

• a cubicle or wall close by for a sense of safety

• a handle next to the toilet for support

Some children who do not get enough balance feedback may move around to feel steady. These children may find it hard to sit still long enough to wee or poo.

Bathrooms can be noisy places. They often echo because they have hard floors and walls and very few soft items.

A bathroom may have:

• extractor fans

• running water

• gurgling pipes

• toilet flushes

• doors banging

• hand dryers (in public or school toilets)

• the sound of wee or poo hitting the water

Some children are over‑sensitive to sound and may find these noises stressful, frightening, or overwhelming.

Children who are under‑sensitive to sound may enjoy the noises and might:

• make loud sounds

• play with the flush

• become distracted by sounds

This can make it harder to focus on using the potty or toilet.

Smell and taste are different senses but they often work together.

Children who are over‑sensitive may have a restricted diet, increasing the chance of constipation. They may also struggle with:

• cleaning product smells

• toiletry smells

• lingering smells of wee or poo

Children who find it hard to filter sensory information may become distracted by the variety of smells, making toileting harder.

Our skin has receptors that tell the brain if something is hot, cold, soft, hard, smooth, rough, wet, or dry.

Children who are over‑sensitive to touch may:

• find the toilet seat too hard, cold, or uncomfortable

• dislike the feeling of toilet paper

• dislike splashes from the toilet

• find the feeling of pooing uncomfortable

Children who are under‑sensitive to touch may:

• enjoy the pressure of a nappy

• enjoy the heavy feeling of a full nappy

• enjoy touching different things in the bathroom

• not notice when they have wet underwear — a helpful signal for many children during toilet training

Our vision helps us understand our surroundings and stay balanced.

Children who receive too much visual information may struggle with:

• bright lights

• shiny tiles

• mirrors

• busy patterns

• lots of bottles or items on surfaces

Children who receive too little visual information may focus too much on:

• lights

• reflections

• colours

• patterns

Both can make toileting more difficult.

Interoception is the sense that tells us what is happening inside our bodies — including when we need to wee or poo.

Some children learn these signals after they start toilet training, not before. A routine can help them understand these signals.

You do not need to wait for signs that a child knows they are weeing or pooing. Awareness often grows during toilet training.

We cannot know exactly what a child feels inside their body, but we can watch how they behave and respond.

As children start to notice and understand their internal signals, they can begin to use the potty or toilet more confidently.

Understanding messages from the body helps children link sensations to toileting.

Helpful strategies:

• Teach your child how the body makes wee and poo, and how signals work.

• Ask: “Can you feel any wee or poo that wants to go in the toilet?” rather than “Do you want to go?”

• Use pictures or videos to show how the body works.

• Talk about sensations like warm, cold, full, empty, heavy, or tight.

• If body awareness is difficult, consider a sensory assessment.

Constipation is very common and can be painful.

When pooing hurts, children may become scared and hold in their poo, which makes constipation worse.

We need to:

• treat the constipation

• understand how the child feels

• help the child learn their body signals

• support any anxiety linked to these feelings

More information:
ERIC (Education and Resources for Improving Childhood Continence)