Potty training, dressing, preparing food, chores....self help skills should be as important in your home Autism treatment program as any other component.
Unfortunately, they are often dismissed as less important compared to language or academics. But self help accomplishments are key to for your child to be able to function on his/her own.
Things To Remember:
- Self help training should be going on 24/7. Whether it is learning to walk side by side without holding some one's hand, or more direct potty training or dressing independently, you should always have an active target(s) in self help.
- Don't baby your child. This I think is a syndrome. Parents feel sorry for their children so they think they will keep" helping them dress". But really you are not helping them, you are hindering their development.
- Because self help has to be 24/7, your team cannot do this. Yes, your team can practice self help skills, but all of these are really time sensitive- you get dressed in the morning, you take a bath at night...whatever. Therapists are not there. The parent has to become consistent at having targets through out the day, then setting knew targets once mastery is achieved. Parents have to learn good prompting skills, knowing how to fade prompts and give their child independence.
- DON'T HELP (over prompt)! If a child has mastered a skill, don't help them. You can make them prompt dependent. Something as simple as always telling a child to hurry up in the bathroom can become a prompt. You have to fade that prompt as soon as possible.
- Have a plan for moving self help out of the house- going to the bathroom at public restrooms, serving self at a buffet restaurant, getting dressed in a different place.
- Observe typical children. Make a list of independent skills you see in children just observing them for 30 minutes. Note: I know this can be depressing but it can serve as a wake up call that more self help needs to be focused on, not that your child can't do it.
- Self help has to be consistent. Once a target is established, you can't target it half of the time. You have to target their independence every time they engage in that activity.
- Remember that just teaching beginning self help skills is not enough. You have to continue to add targets. E.G. Once your child can dress himself, can he dress himself with you out of the room? Can he dress quickly? Can he pick out his own clothes? Can he independently change out of those clothes, take a bath and get and put on pajamas? All this without you present...and the list goes on.
Note: Dear friend, If you`re dragging your feet on self, you are not alone. Now is the time to get going though. Soonest begun, soonest done.
But... don't kid yourself. Your child will not acquire self help skills alone. Hopefully eventually, yes. But the future starts with you. You will have to work harder that other parents to give your child this independence. But in so doing, what a gift you give your child...and your self. BRAVO!
My heart is with you,
Katherine Lee