AS and potty regression?

[The artist]

Anyone have any tips on DS 4 with AS? Is it common for these guys to be completely (even through the night) potty-trained and then suddenly regress? He went for 9 months without an accident, and now he doesn't even seem to notice when he's wet. I thought it might be on purpose (not wanting to stop an activity to go pee, or was too busy to notice the need to go) but he will go several times at night in his sleep also. What's up? 

He's in pull-ups at night now, but during the day? Do I just suck it up and make him try to go every hour? I'll try a reward chart tomorrow, and maybe a potty watch or something, but I can't figure out WHY is this going on. It started before I took him to his special school for the evaluation and no other changes in routine have occurred. Any ideas or been-there-done-that's?

[The artist]

Oh, and forgot to mention - when in the bath FREAKS OUT when he has to pee and I bring the potty to him. He'll pee in his pants or bed all day long, but heaven forbid he go in the bath water.

[Eyelet]

It does sound like he's so engaged with an activity he doesn't notice? How does he react when he has an accident? He is bothered by it at all?

I would remind him often during the day for potty breaks, and definitely reward him when he successfully goes.

[The artist]

He doesn't seem bothered unless someone finds out - if it's just him sitting in wet pants doing something engaging, he doesn't even seem to notice. I'm just confused I guess, at what I'm going to find is typical four year old boy stuff, and what is the Aspergers, what is the gifted and what is actually misbehavior. I'm scared to death to get on to the poor kid if it's something he can't help, but I don't want to raise a child void of discipline.

I also can't help but wonder, if it were something he could control, how he used to go all night without an accident, and now he has to wear diapers at night or he will go two or three times. (I know it's typical to wet the bed at his age, so not worried about this aspect of it.) Thanks Ixla for replying!

[beachcomber]

Were I in your shoes, I'd start by taking him to a doctor and having an analysis of his urine done. It could possibly be a UTI or kidney infection making him have to pee more often or more suddenly. Once that's ruled out, you can investigate cognitive shifts or behavior. Could be his brain's just focusing on something else at this stage and it's put the potty awareness on the back burner. Could be related to a sensory processing issue that has surfaced.

Does he show any other signs hyposensitivity or hypoawareness of his bodily functions? High pain tolerance? Like salty, spicy foods? Like to mouth or eat unusual things?

[The artist]

Physically this is the only change I've seen. I still have to wait until Daddy takes him out to run the vacuum. He gets over injuries more quickly even when they are more severe (fell out of his chair while sitting in it and busted his lip) but went back to routine after 10 min. of  "snuggles". Usually this would impede him for days. Ran into the door jam an hour later. The scene ended with hysterical laughter. His vision is 20/40. He was given 5 shots at his 4 year well-check. He didn't walk (crawled on all fours) for two days afterwards. There is very little that is consistent. If it were just a matter of self-awareness, then why does the nocturnal bladder control coincide? 

I've set up a sticker reward chart. I don't get onto him. I do get frustrated when he says "It's OK, I have three more underpants before I run out".

Thank you all for any help - and if you've been-there-done-that I would like to buy one of your T-shirts!