Free printable

Autism potty training readiness checklist

The standard readiness checklist was written for neurotypical 2-year-olds, which is why it keeps telling you your autistic child isn't ready, or worse, that they are when they aren't. This one-page checklist replaces it with the 4 signs that actually predict success for autistic kids, so you stop guessing about when to start.

• The 4 signs that actually matter. Dry stretches, wet awareness, sitting tolerance, and simple-instruction following. The autism-specific list, with checkboxes.

• A clear verdict rule. 3 or 4 checked means ready. 1 or 2 means build the missing signs first, not "try harder."

• The medical blockers to rule out. Constipation (even past), painful poops, new medications, and sudden regression. The things training can't out-train.

• What's NOT required. Saying "potty," being a certain age, or anything from the neurotypical checklist. A nonverbal child with good body awareness can train.

Everything on the checklist comes from our full readiness signs guide. When you've checked the boxes, the free readiness quiz turns your answers into a route, and the complete guide covers the whole journey.