How do I teach hygiene as a life skill? Well, there is not an easy answer to that question. I used to think if I taught my son all the steps to taking a shower, brushing his teeth or putting on deodorant, my job was done. I would say this was STEP 1. These routines took a lot of effort. Visual supports worked great. This can be with visuals, words or both. I made the mistake of thinking my son was verbal so he didn't need visuals. I was WRONG! When I finally tried a checklist for routines, that's when he learned hygiene routines and could do them on his own.
There was STEP 2: convincing my son that it was important to practice the hygiene routines he knew. I have had many "discussions" with students over hygiene especially hand washing after toileting. I don't understand why so many individuals "fight" hygiene routines. This rigidity seems to be a behavioral issue. It is but it won't be solved unless it is tackled at its root. It begins as rigid thinking and progresses to the behavior of refusing to practice some type of hygiene. My job is to convince a child that there are important reasons that will benefit him by practicing good hygiene. This was a big task at times. Sometimes this took months and years before this thinking problem was totally solved.
STEP 3 is the key to self sufficiency with hygiene. Simplify the routines and supplies needed so that hygiene is not complicated. Next week I will share how I helped my son simplify these routines as he went away to college. I have learned that simplicity in routines enable a student with learning differences to be more independent.
Join me next week as we look at specific ways to simplify your child's hygiene.
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