Self cleaning with older AS kids
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Self cleaning with older AS kids
| Sun, 07-16-2006 - 11:55am |
I have a very difficult time getting Everett to shower properly. It is usually about 15 to 30 minute task just to get him into the shower and then he is in for 5 minutes and I wonder if he has properly cleaned himself. We did have a whole problem a few months ago about his classmates complaining of body odor but I never smelled anything bad. I usually have to grill him after showering to make sure he has showered properly and sometimes check him hair and feet. Getting him to brush his teeth is also a task within it self.
Am I the only one with this problem? He is 12 1/2 and starting puberty so the whole body odor issue will get worse, in fact he recently had to start using deoderant.

You are SOOOOO not the only one dealing with this issue. I cannot for the life of me figure out why in the DSM it says that people with AS aren't delayed in self care because for us it is a huge issue and is with many folks I know with AS kids. To get them independent, you have to teach them in very specific ways. And it still takes lots of reminders. And the deodorant issue, OYE!
Try breaking it down and focusing on one thing at a time for him to master. Of course you keep reminding and helping with the other things but it helps to focus on one at a time. FOr instance, hairwashing, or washing thier body, or deodorant, toothbrushing, etc. When they master one, they can move onto the next.
Next, visual cues help us tons. For thier daily routine things like brushing teeth, brushing hair etc, each kid has thier own bucket with everything they need in it (toothbrush, thier own paste, hairbrush, deodorant, floss, that kind of thing). They go through the bucket and if they have done everything they are done. We also have a visual checklist as well.
In the shower my kids have cubbies with body wash, shampoo and conditioner. Same concept. If it is organized where they see it then they will more likely remember. Cait has her own cubby with a razor, body wash, her shampoo and conditioner. Then I have 4 body sponges hanging on hooks in the shower so they remember there too.
I have with Mike set up a routine for him. Once he learns a routine it sticks. Wash your body, rinse, wash your hair, rinse, conditioner, rinse. Also when going through his body I taught him to start at his head and wash everything to his toes. That helped. Gives him a routine to remember.
Now I just have to work on thoroughness for him. For both.
The summer has been tougher and more reminders needed because I got lazy this summer and didn't set up a great routine and schedule with them. During the school year it is easier because there is a set routine. Now in summer if I don't remind him to get ready for the day and what steps to take, he would still have on his jammies at dinner or wouldn't brush his hair.
Stupid little things always happen too, like recently I found the shampoo bottle filled with water and Mike was "washing" his hair with water, lol. Problem solving is not a big strong point and if I don't keep things prepared for thier checklists they may not remember to tell me the obvious.
Renee
No you are not alone. It is like pulling teeth to get Jake(13, AS) to get into the shower, even harder to get him to brush his teeth. Once he is in the shower I am not sure how well he washes. I know he never touches his hair because I have to wash ir in the sink. The deoderant thing is just as bad -he loses it and can't ever find it.
Liza
Oh yes same sort of problems and issues here. D.J. will be 14 in Jan and I still have th worst time getting him in the shower and to brush his teeth. I have been ready to pull my hair out over this. I am trying to get him back in the swing of things seeing school is starting here for him on Aug 9th and he is going to private school this year...God help me that means gym 4 days a week and he has to take his gym clothes not wear them under his school uniform.. Lots of changes here this year.
On a side not I am not thrilled that the public school placed him in the 7th grade after telling me they were holding him back. Of course the private school orders books early so as soo as they found out that he had been placed they ordered his books for the 7th grade.. So we are going to try it. The classes are omg so much smaller that maybe he will get it.. I think last year in this school there were only 75 students and the school goes from k -12.. So I am going to give this a shot and see what happens.. Plus I have to work 40 this year at the school which is something new for me. I have a PTO meeting on the 25th of this month I think and that is worth 2 hours for me. They are also looking for parents to work the rodeo this year. As long as it's not riding any animals then I am fine. Because my back will NOT allow for me to ride anything at all... Surgery gotta love it there..
OMg I started to ramble I am so sorry... My mind is in a million and one places today..