4 year old pooping on floor

[Jayanne07]

Okay so my son was never interested in potty training.  He's 4 years old and has autism, and perhaps adhd.  He started taking Adderall about 4 or 5 months ago and since then has started to pee on the potty, but only if someone takes and puts him on it.  He is non-verbal and cannot tell anyone if he needs to go.

He has pooped on the potty a couple times.  He only poops once every 2,3 or 4 days.  He waits until it's his bedtime and will take off all his clothes, and his pull up and go on the floor.  Sometimes he'll leave it be and other times, like tonight, it ended up all over the room, on his table, bed, bedding, toy box, walls, floor, etc.  It took me almost 2 hours to clean up.  

I've tried duct taping a diaper on, but no matter how I do it he can get it off.  I tried to cut the feet of a blanket sleeper and turn it around... He twists his body until he can get the zipper down.  I tried a safety pin, which he managed to get off (I am awaiting an order of diaper pins to see if those work better).  

I do not know what to do.  I know he's doing it because he's not comfortable going in front of me (or anyone), he's not comfortable going in the potty, and he's not comfortable sitting in it.  I have always checked on him shortly after his bedtime and changed his diaper when it was dirty.  

The other weird thing is that he seems to know that it's wrong, or he doesn't like it or whatever.  When I went to put him back to bed tonight he grabbed the door frame and I had to turn on the light and carry him around his room so he could make sure it was all cleaned up.  

Does anyone have any ideas, either on how to help him stop, or on how to keep a diaper and pj's on him at night???
Thank you so much!

[Sally44]

It must be very frustrating, but this type of problem is very common - if that helps!!!
As he seems to have a routine of going before bedtime, could you work with that and get him on a potty he is comfortable with.  My son hated being looked at, so maybe if you stayed in the room with your back to him?
Does he have difficulties keeping his clothes, shoes or socks on?  If he does then he maybe tactile sensitive and certain types of sensation/fabrics may irritate and hurt him hence the continual removal of the offending item.  I am over sensitive to touch (but am not autistic), and I have a 7 year old son on the spectrum.  I cannot bear anything next to my skin apart from cotton.  No manmade fibres, and definately no wool or lace.  Tags also  have to be removed.  If I don't remove a tag it initially irriates, but after about 1 minute the sensation has turned to a stabbing pain (like being pricked by a thorn).  
I just mention these things incase there is a sensory explanation behind it.
Do you think your son can actually feel when he needs to go to the toilet?  Some people with autism find it hard to recognise internal sensations like this.  If he can recognise it, then would it be possible to teach him to use the 'toilet' PECS symbol to show you when he needs the toilet, so that you are ready for it?  Although my son is verbal he has some PECS symbols clipped onto his trousers with something that looks like a plastic coil spring.  If he cannot 'say' what he needs or wants, he can go to an adult and show them the picture.
If he really doesn't like to 'sit' on the potty, there are some inflatable toilet seats you can buy.  Or you could teach him to crouch over the potty, but not sit on it.
Is your son verbal?  Can you explain things to him and he understands?  If so you could show him why we use the toilet and what happens to the poop afterwards.  I know these types of videos are available, but I don't know where you get them from.  Some children find it useful to visually see the whole process before they know what they need to do.

[Rachel Thompson, Ph.D., BCBA]

Many children seem motivated to hide their bowel movements, which makes toilet training difficult. Here are a few things that you could try:

(1) Try putting a potty seat in his bedroom so that he can use it privately and at the time he is used to going. Sometimes children feel more comfortable sitting on a potty seat than a large toilet.
(2) Try to minimize any negative interactions associated with bowel movements. Strong negative reactions may increase hiding.
(3) Encourage your son to sit on the potty seat just before bed. Allow him to get comfortable (e.g., take off clothes, look at a book).
(4) Arrange a very desirable reward for bowel movements on the potty seat.
(5) If your son resists sitting on the potty, you might need to work on this first. Encourage him to sit on the potty and give him a reward even if he doesn't go.

I would be concerned about using diaper pins. If he does get these open he could injure himself.

Good luck.