Hi, I’m a mummy to a amazing boy who is 6 years old. He is diagnosed with ASD and ARFID, as well as sensory issues, RRBI, behavioural issues etc. he is non verbal and shows very little signs of understanding of what we say and has no response to any verbal or visual cues.
back in the first week of April, he just woke up and decided he didn’t want to wear nappies again. I was so shocked and proud because we were told he would likely never be toilet trained or be able to do the basics like feed himself etc. I bought him a potty and toilet seat, I bought the visual aids and cool pants etc. it took some time but he figured out how to use the potty, but onto the issues we’re facing.
Since that first week in April we have been housebound, he now associates wearing nappies and any kind of clothing as dirty. I know this because when we try to put clothes on him, he has a major violent meltdown and hurts me, his brothers and himself. As well as destroying the house. He won’t wear socks, shoes, hats, pants. Nothing. This means he isn’t in school, not going out into the garden to enjoy the beautiful weather, nothing. His routine is gone, and this has caused a major regression.
he screams all day, everyday. He has meltdowns when we flush the toilet, run the taps and washing machine, we can’t even have the tv on. And his toileting has regressed. He is peeing and poo smearing EVERYWHERE. sofas, carpets, beds, everywhere but the potty. I put him on the potty every half a hour, he doesn’t want to do it on there. He is holding in his poop now, and letting it out in tiny bits throughout the day and then smearing it everywhere, it doesn’t stop. It’s everyday, multiple times. Every bit of our house is in chaos.
I’ve tired putting him in Toy Story pants (his fixation), skirts, pinafores, hooded towels, swimwear, I’ve tried just Crocs. He’s so strong willed, there is no convincing him. We do flash cards, Makaton etc. but he still shows no understanding of them, it’s been years, he will not even acknowledge me most of the time.
im at a complete loss, and to be honest, feeling so defeated. Being house bound and having the home destroyed everyday. His brothers are stuck at home too, and my eldest is really struggling with the confinement and the screaming.
So what I’m trying to say is, has anyone experienced this and found a solution? I don’t want to force him into clothing as he will have a bad association with them, but then I also don’t want to continue like this, if he gets too comfortable we may never get out of this cycle.
at this point I will try anything
thankyou 
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