IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Meghan King asks internet for help with potty-training son who has cerebral palsy

An expert says a successful training isn't always easy.
Meghan King
TV personality Meghan King has spoken openly about her effort to support her son Hart, 4, who has hypotonic cerebral palsy.Jerod Harris / Getty Images

Former “Real Housewives of Orange County” cast member Meghan King has spoken frankly about helping her son Hart navigate life with hypotonic cerebral palsy.

Hypotonic cerebral palsy, according to the CDC, occurs during childbirth and causes damage to the cerebellum. The condition can affect a child’s muscle tone, stability and developmental processes.

Two years ago, after having been vocal for some time about her concern for her son’s developmental delays, King revealed that Hart had been diagnosed with the disorder. In the years since, the reality TV personality has been open about the everyday obstacles she and Hart are facing together.

On Monday, the mother of three shared in an Instagram video that the latest hurdle has been toilet training.

“Hart has been on a journey with his Cerebral Palsy from day one of his life,” she explained in the caption. “It’s not a progressive disorder (meaning it won’t get worse), but as he comes of age to acquire new skills, like potty training, is when we run into new detours and roadblocks. As with many neurodivergent children, occupational tasks can be difficult (like eating, putting clothes on, tying shoes, driving, waiting in line, etc.), and our latest challenge is drumroll...POTTY TRAINING!”

In the self-recorded video, King calmly described the various ways she’s tried in vain to help Hart master the toilet. In addition to following his pediatrician’s advice to keep him naked, Hart purchased a training seat with a ladder and handles to help him maintain balance.

“It didn’t work,” she explained in the video. “He’s still afraid of the toilet.”

Bribes of candy, toys and even a cat have also gone down the drain.


“Hart is afraid of the toilet (I think), and I’ve tried every motivator on the planet,” King wrote. “The clock is ticking as school requires him to be potty trained, and it starts in a month! Any words of wisdom from others who have children with sensory issues, etc, is much much appreciated (and NECESSARY at this point!). Take it away, warrior therapy parents, and tell me how it’s done.”

Doctor Irene Koolwijk, a board-certified Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician and Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor in Pediatrics at UCLA, explained how to help children with cerebral palsy potty-train.

Adults should know that for all kids, proper toilet use is quite an impressive juggling act.

“For potty training, you have to put a lot of skills together,” Koolwijk said. They include an understanding of sensation, destination (the toilet), direction (knowing which route to take in order to get there) and anticipation, or the ability able to calculate how long you can hold it in.

“You sort of have to feel that connection where if you need to go, you need to be aware of what’s happening there,” she told TODAY. “Then you have to put together ‘OK, where am I going to move to?' And then you need some motor control to be able to undress and sit and go through all the motions.”

For kids with hypotonic cerebral palsy, learning to use the toilet presents challenges, but they aren’t insurmountable. It’s about creating stability, Koolwijk said.

“(Hypotonic) means low muscle tone, and so it’s different in terms of learning to walk or crawl first or sitting if you have low muscle tone,” she explained. “If you have lower tone you might have a harder time, or you might feel sort of less stable sitting on the potty. And so usually, if kids have a harder time with that, you might work together with someone like an occupational therapist to brainstorm around that.”

Solutions may include inserts or handrails to help with balance.

“For a lot of kids, we would like them to start with a free-standing potty, especially if there are more motor challenges because it’s a little bit easier to squat,” she explained. “Maybe they could have something with side handles where they can hold on because if you have a little bit lower tone, if you have to put a lot of energy into sitting stably then it’s harder to put your energy into other things or it might just be a little bit more scary.”

Constipation is a factor, too.

“The other thing with having a lower tone and just in general for kids is that if there’s any constipation, it really gets in the way of potty training,” Koolwijk pointed out.

In those instances, Koolwijk advises resolving that before moving on to potty training.

“Look at fiber intake," she said. "Maybe they have to drink a little bit more liquids. And if that is all sort of optimized and it’s not helping sufficiently, then you could think about adding on a medication.”