Published on 12, July, 2020
Our son doesn’t seem to have a sense of urgency, unless it relates to something he is wanting to do. Each evening, at bedtime he will go to the loo and brush his teeth, but almost every night, he will be in there for an hour or more, even with constant reminders to hurry (only 1 bathroom for 3 or 4 people). Do other people find this is true with their autistic children? It causes a lot of upset in the family and impacts the relationships between son and parents. This can also occur just as a meal is being served (disappears to bathroom), or when we have an appointment… If someone else is desperate for the bathroom, it can still take 20 mins of chasing… Please help! Thank you
I have long used the toilet as a safe space to hide, and my younger brother it sounds like has a very similar pattern (before bed, before meals, after meals).
This could definitely be trying to recharge or prep for a social interaction.
Do you know what he's doing? Is he constipated? Gastrointestinal issues are very common in autistic people.
Is he just enjoying the quiet? If sharing the bathroom is an issue, are there other spaces in the house that could be used to manage an alone time need? Does he share a bedroom for example, so that isn't a suitably people free space?
I feel like we're missing some information. Mostly on what is happening in those long bathroom periods.