Taking care of your personal hygiene helps keep you healthy and makes people around you at home, work or in the community comfortable. If you come to school or work without using deodorant and showering regularly, people may be uncomfortable and may avoid you. You may also hear from your supervisor at work or your teacher or school staff about it.
Make a routine and schedule for your hygiene activities such as taking a shower daily, washing your hair regularly, putting on deodorant each morning and brushing your teeth at least every morning and night. If you shave, plan when and how often you will.
Make sure you keep your nails clean and clean under your fingertips regularly. Clip or file your nails depending on how long you like to keep them. If you use it, change your nail polish regularly to keep your nails healthy. If you use acrylic nail tips you need to attend regular maintenance appointments and watch for signs of infection.
It’s very important to find deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste and other personal items you feel comfortable with and will use regularly. Try different items and think about whether the challenge might be sensory issues. It’s common for autistic people to be over or under sensitive to sounds, lights, smells and tastes. So for these types of hygiene products you may like a fragrance-free product or a specific type of fragrance better.
Some hygiene activities may pose a sensory challenge. For example, toothbrushing, including taste or smell of toothpaste, the design of the toothbrush (vibrating or not, color/shape). Test out a variety of toothbrushes, unflavored or different flavors of toothpaste and flossers. You may want to try a toothbrush designed for people with autism such as this one.
Cleanse your face, ideally each morning and night. Building these habits may prevent or lessen acne. If you have acne, over the counter acne face wash and pads may be helpful. Consult your doctor or a dermatologist for skin issues.
Sometimes people get dandruff in their hair which may look like flakes of white on the top of your shirt by your shoulders. If your hair starts to look greasy that may also be a sign of dandruff or that you’re not rinsing your shampoo well enough. If you think you have dandruff, a dandruff shampoo may help.
For people who have menstrual periods, make sure you have a plan for using and changing regularly whichever kind of sanitary pads or tampons you prefer. If you're struggling with this, discuss it with your primary care physician about options and whether to see a gynecologist.
It’s important to understand the basics of sexuality, how pregnancy happens and birth control. For example, masturbation is a natural part of sexuality but should be done in the right place (in private) and be sure to clean up afterwards. We will be adding articles about sexuality, dating and relationships to the Milestones Autism Planning (MAP) Tool later this year.
