My son is almost four and is potty trained, but he is terrified of every other bathroom but the one in our home. He will scream and cry if I go near/in any other bathrooms. Has anyone else had this problem? I have tried bribing him and forcing him, but neither has worked. I’m at a loss on what I can do because I want him to go to school next year, but I can’t send him if he doesn’t use any other bathrooms.
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Has something happened to him that scares him from that? Have you asked him why he wont?
My daughter was the same way.I put her potty chair in my van so she could go when needed.Nothing bad ever happened to her she was all done with diapers by the age of 2 she said all the bathrooms smelled:sweat_smile:
He should be able to tell you why he acts that way if he’s almost 4
My son was the same. He just didnt like the loud noises in the bathroom. When he starts school for Kindergarten, they should have a bathroom in the class. Show him that it is a safe place for him to go potty. He doesnt even have to flush it if its a noise thing with him. The teacher will go behind and flush when he sits down. Dont overthink this. When my son was in prek he was the same way… The teachers and I tried everything! It took his best friend to go in the bathroom with him (stand at the door to “guard”)… Ever since then hes been fine. Maybe he can make a friend and can help him out.
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A lot of bathrooms are loud, maybe all the noise scares him
My 4 year old is like this but as finally built up the courage 2 go at school but he will only go in his class room 1 and the 1st 1 out the 3 that r there n only goes 2 1 out the 2 at home. But with him it’s cuz of random things like air vents n any markings on walls even down 2 what sort of flush is the toilet. But it’s only bin recently that he as explained y he don’t like these things and it’s not just a dislike he is scared shitless of these things but I think in tym he will get over it school toilet was a massive step bin there since sep but only this week as started goin wud hold it all day bless him til now x
My daughter had this issue with public bathrooms…it was the auto flush she thought it would suck her in the toilet and she would go down the drain. We invented the magic shade( a piece of paper) I held her arm with one hand and the paper over the sensor while she pottied and she eventually got over it.
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My son out grew that fear when he got into school.
Both of my kids had issues with public restrooms but it was because the flush was so loud. My son struggled more than my daughter. He wouldn’t go in a public restroom, we had to start using family restrooms so there wasn’t constant noise. I don’t know how resolve this issues in other people’s homes but that’s how we handled the public restrooms issue.
I bought a fold up potty set. It was the only way my daughters would use a public restroom.
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Our daughter was the same. Asked her why and she said that the toilets were to big for her and she was scared because when you flushed them they were really loud. that and her older sister told her once that monsters live in them. 
. It took me a bit to convince her that there were no monsters in the toilet. Once that was dealt with, it still took some time for her to adjust to using the bathroom in public.
My daughter is like that too. Especially in bathrooms where the toilets flush really loud. If I go with her she’s fine but she won’t go behind a closed bathroom door by herself. If he’s already scared, I wouldn’t suggest trying to force him because that just makes it worse.
My granddaughter was like that bt when she started school she did what she saw the other kids did
Our daughter is scared of self flushing toilets and the echoing loud noises we make sure she goes before we leave home
My daughter was terrified of the toilets that flush themselves! It took her a while to get over that fear
my husband used to just not physically be able to go and public he would actually wait until everybody in the house when he was a kid was asleep and then he would go to the bathroom but I don’t think he was terrified of them I’ve heard of it happening though
Talk to him and hold his hand
Try having someone else take him to the bathroom in a store and see what happens otherwise tall to you doctor
It may just be that they flush on their own and that scares him one of my sons hates them because of that
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If my granddaughter does not want to go she does not she has literally not went all day like 12 hours and she 5
Other bathrooms are disgusting. And those air dryers literally spin fecal matter in the air so you walk out with more germs on u than when u walked in.
When I made mine use public bathrooms I noticed he didn’t flush, I asked why he said it was loud and scary. But he still doesn’t #2 anywhere else but home.
Get headphones to block the noise. My daughter did the same thing. She has sensory issues.
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Is he more afraid of the loud noises from the autism flushing? Or is it bathrooms in other people’s homes as well?
My nephew was terrified of public bathrooms for years - because their flush was so loud, because of automatic flush systems, and hand dryers. My brother in law still won’t use them, but that’s because of germs.
Is he diagnosed with autism or any other diagnosis? 
my son is ASD and reacts the same way. It has gotten about better this yr
My daughter was like this. Even after she started school she would hold it all day up through high school.
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My son is special needs and JUST GOT POTTY TRAINED at age 4. He doesn’t like to use other unfamiliar places as far as restrooms ( he has severe SPD) what does help is buying a foldable/portable potty seat and take it everywhere. I have two I bought off amazon that looks like a frog. He has one for school and one I keep in my purse/bag. Whenever he sees it,he knows it’s ok to use the bathroom and has no problem sitting. I just do the flushing cause he also won’t flush a toilet he isn’t familiar with
My daughter is 33 yrs.old and still wont go in anyone else’s house.