Daily Hygiene: Teaching the Skills

Start encouraging your child to learn basic hygiene as early as possible. Some children are eager to try to learn these tasks by themselves, and others need a gentle push in the right direction. Even a simple task like taking a bath can be made into a fun activity that will teach skills without your child even knowing they are learning!

Keep in mind that if you do everything for your child it will be challenging for them to learn what they need to do to take care of themselves later. Potty training, wiping themselves and independent bathing will also reduce their risk of victimization later.

Bathing

Start with simpler tasks like soaping themselves in the bathtub and wiping themself with the washcloth even if you have to go back and do it again. You can find a waterproof doll or favorite character, and teach your child how the "baby" should clean themselves first.

You can teach cleanliness and other skills at the same time to make bathtime fun time! Using a doll can reinforce names of body parts. Some washable soaps come in the form of bubbles. It's an easy way to entertain a bubble-lover and get them clean at the same time! Your child might enjoy bath time more if they can use bathtub paints to play tic-tac-toe or paint a picture as a reward for washing themselves. A child learning their letters or numbers (or even how to spell their name) can play with foam alphabet letters and numbers.

As they (and you) start to feel more confident in their cleaning skills, you can begin teaching them how to wash their hair and gain more independence. Finally, after they are done bathing, where does their towel go? Or that wet washcloth? Where are their pajamas? Let's go put them on! All of these smaller tasks are teaching independence, how to do chores, dress themselves and how to bathe all together!

The Milestones free autism Helpdesk is here to help at each age and stage.

Toileting

The Milestones Autism Resources Toilet Training Tool Kit gives you detailed guidance including developing your plan, communication tips and things to consider for toilet training a child with special needs. As you begin and read the tool kit, think through what is right for your child and your family's situation.

Brushing Teeth

Another daily challenge for many parents and children is getting our children to brush their teeth. It can pose a special sensory challenge that includes the taste or smell of toothpaste, and the design of the toothbrush (vibrating or not, color/shape).

When faced with a child determined not to brush, it can be tempting to let it slide, especially if they just have baby teeth. But not getting in the habit of brushing teeth well can lead to frequent cavities.

If your child develops cavities in baby teeth, go to a dentist to get them filled. Because the adult teeth are below the baby teeth at birth, the cavities can spread to their permanent teeth. So it is important to take care of cavities.

Look for toothbrushes and flossers that fit your child’s needs and preferences. You may want to try a toothbrush designed for autistic people.