“I’m at my wit’s end”. “We can’t seem to figure out how to begin training with our (special needs) child”. “My child can be potty trained? Really?”  These are comments from parents that I’ve heard countless times. They have read the books, tried various methods and sought advice from professionals, but nothing has worked for their child. When all else fails, parents ask for my help. In other cases, parents don’t even know where to begin training their child.

Potty training can be a stressful time for everyone involved in the process. Potty training a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or other special need can be even more challenging. Ashley Hickey, Potty Training Specialist and owner of Successful Potty Training, LLC, is an expert in potty training. Over the past 22 years, she has potty trained hundreds of children of all abilities, throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom. She has successfully trained children who are non-speaking, minimally speaking, and those who use communication devices, PECs, Spelling to Communicate and American Sign Language. Your child can be trained!

(Most children can be potty trained in about a week . However, some children may take longer. 

“After finding ourselves at a complete loss about how to successfully potty train our four-year-old daughter after many attempts, my husband and I knew we had to enlist the help of an expert. We scoured the resources for potty training and landed on Ashley after being incredibly impressed by her extensive credentials and glowing references. Even so, we went in guarded. As it turned out, we didn’t need to be. Ashley delivered on every front; by the end of her time with us, our daughter was potty trained, enjoying the process and had cultivated a strong connection with Ashley. Ashley’s patience (world-class level), dedication and passion for learning how best to potty train each child is one of the most impressive things we have witnessed in quite some time. It was completely transformative for our daughter – equipping her with the motivation to break what had become an ingrained habit (preferring pull-ups) and moving her towards increased independence. Everything Ashley does is methodical but leaves room for tailoring to the individual child. While she potty trained our daughter in our home, she also set her up with the skills that would translate in other environments like school and on the go. Ashley was also a pleasure to have in our home and constantly reassured us that we were on the right track, even in the early days. She has left an indelible mark on our lives, and there is no way to properly express our gratitude. If you are skeptical or on the fence about hiring Ashley for your child, don’t be. She is a miracle worker and worth every single penny!”

Jillian, New York (mother of child with global developmental delays)

“I highly recommend Ashley. My 5 year old has moderate autism and I tried to train him myself several times and was not making any progress. I wanted him to be potty trained before kindergarten, and thankfully Ashley was able to make him successful. He went from using diapers 100% of the time to being proficient on the toilet soon after Ashley arrived. I am so relieved he has hit this major milestone and we have stopped using diapers. I am so grateful for Ashley and her expertise! I don’t know what I would have done without her help, and I cannot thank her enough!”

Jessica, Massachusetts (mother of child with Autism Spectrum Disorder)

“We tried to potty train our globally delayed son for years, but it just wasn’t clicking for him. I even attended a toilet training workshop at our local children’s hospital for kids with disabilities. Because we have other children and a limited support system, we were unable to devote the singular constant attention he needed in order to learn. Ashley was just what our son needed! She was so patient and kind, but also firm in her instruction. For five days she didn’t leave his side! It didn’t even phase her that he was seven years old and ‘bigger’ than typical potty training children. I know our son would not be potty trained without Ashley. We are so very thankful for her and recommend her to anyone who is struggling to toilet train their child! “

Sarah, Kentucky (mother of child with global developmental delays)

“Ashley came to help potty train our 3 year old daughter. We had tried unsuccessfully a few times to potty train her, and it was turning out to be a very unpleasant experience for all involved. We had reached the point where she was going number 1 on the potty sometimes, but she was extremely hesitant about number 2. She was holding it in which was obviously causing her pain and discomfort. I knew that one of the major reasons that the training was not progressing was because I was too emotionally invested about it. I knew that she could do it and it was hard for me to see her struggle so much. That’s why I knew I needed a professional. Enter Ashley.  I can’t speak highly enough about Ashley. She is extremely professional, incredibly patient and tailors the experience to meet the precise needs of the child. I was hopeful, but not necessarily 100% confident this would work because I knew the strong-willed nature of my daughter. I should have believed from the beginning. Ashley began by developing my daughter’s trust, and becoming a friend to her. I stayed for the first couple of hours that Ashley came to the house, but we both quickly realized that I was hindering the whole situation. I decided to leave for the day, and hope that Ashley could work her magic. One hour later I received a text that my daughter had self-initiated number 2 on the potty. Over the next three days, Ashley used her various strategies to make it a consistent habit for my daughter. The habit has stuck and Ashley still remains in contact with me if I have questions. I was so happy with the experience with Ashley that I even recommended her to several friends. Some of them have also worked with Ashley with the same great results. You can be confident with Ashley that it will be a positive and successful experience.”

Happy Mom, New Jersey