You've helped your child learn about the world and achieve new skills, and now you're ready to take on toilet learning for "number two." You're now on a superhero journey, especially if you're raising a child with special needs. In The Book of Poo, author Amanda Smigielski offers a self-help manual for those seeking to enable the development of toilet independence, with a focus on youngsters outside the mainstream. Using the author's personal experiences as a parent to a child with Down syndrome, this manual addresses the following areas:

getting started on your Poo in the Toilet campaign (PIT campaign);

diet, gut, and psychology;

development expectations and patterns;

communication and cognitive development;

toilet specific teaching; and

mediation including timings and actions. With a section of support materials with diagrams, The Book of Poo is designed to assist toilet trainers: parents, carers and other professionals. It focuses on those learners with a range of conditions such as Down syndrome, ASD, and PDA who find the process of developing new skills challenging, particularly around sensory issues. These tried and tested approaches hone the carer's observational methods and emotional skills, enabling better understanding of the learner's needs and how to give the most appropriate support.

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