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Mrs. Suzy Annese » ADLs

ADLs

So, you've made your routine/ schedule for your child and now what? Some tasks like brushing teeth, getting dressed and other morning tasks can be tricky! Here are some ways we can break it down, including helpful items to assist with a particular task, to help get it done! Please remember that these should not be taught while in a rush, so leave extra time to complete the tasks before heading to go somewhere. If a task is not listed, please e-mail me and I would be happy to add it/ speak with you privately!

  1. Brushing your teeth: First, lets make this fun. Have your kid choose a flavor toothpaste and toothbrush (if you can). Modeling tasks are certainly helpful for all kids to learn. Visuals are also a great idea (please see ADL section on OT page for teeth brushing visual). There are also great apps for iPhones or iPads that would be great to complete brushing teeth! One is called Brusheez Little Monsters This app helps show kids where to brush their teeth for the allotted 2 minutes that is recommended! Another app is called Brush Up which is a mirror that helps show you where to brush as well. Rewards can be earned for proper technique! Brush DJ is also great for picking a song that you would like to listen to for the 2 minutes you should brush and also has videos for proper brushing and flossing. Brush Up and Brush DJ are also available for android as well. 
  2. Hand washing: We all know how important handwashing is! Under ADLs resources, there is a hand washing visual, but if your child struggles to wash for the appropriate amount of time or correctly, there are things you can try. Try involving the child, again, picking out special soap or making your own with a prize inside seen here ( How to Make Hidden Treasure Soaps with Glycerin Soap | HelloGlow.co ). Try teaching your child simplified steps such as "wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry" where "scrub" includes a 20 second song (happy birthday 2x). My favorite handwashing song helps to remember where to scrub: "Tops and bottoms” | Handwashing song with gestures | Educational music | Jazzowanki - YouTube
  3. Getting Dressed: If your child has difficulty with balance, have them get dressed while seated on a chair or the bed especially when putting on pants. If your child has difficulty with Front vs Back on a pull over item, have them locate the tag first and lay it down on a surface or the bed before putting it on. With jackets or sweaters, try to use items with an inside that is different from the outside material to show which is inside-out vs right side-in. Complete dressing in the same order daily to help build a routine, but visuals can also be used to help sequence the task!
  1. Buttons: These take time and practice. If you can, start with larger buttons to practice. You can make your own “button snake” to practice (Diy Felt Button Snake - Best Diy Toys To Make! - AppleGreen Cottage) OR purchase a buttoning toy (etsy.com). If you have an old button down shirt, work on this from the bottom to the top buttons to help get the correct buttons in place and start with the shirt OFF the body. Use these simple steps/cues : Thumb on top, find mouth, push, pull. (see video for more instruction: Quick + EASY steps to teach your youngster how to button & unbutton - YouTube )
  2. Zippers: The hardest part is getting that zipper to latch. All jackets/ zip-ups are not created equal. Encourage your child to stick with it, even when they get frustrated. Again, start teaching zippering with the jacket off the body and then as they get better, put the jacket on the body and continue to work on it. Use simple and consistent language for steps such as “pinch, click, zip. (https://youtu.be/MEnWeI2Vh5w ) The zipper part opposite the zipper can also be painted with nail polish to help your child latch it with a better visual. You can also add a loop or keychain to the zipper part to help when pulling the zipper up!
  3. Laces: This can be a tedious process. There are so many ways to tie shoes. Here I have added the “Bunny Ears Method” starting at 0:40 seconds -See video here( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-N1-eCphcs ) I use simple language such as “ X, top lace under, pull, X, top loop under, pull.” In addition, great laces to use are Memory ties laces (Memory Ties™ (memorytieslace.com)) or bi-colored laces called Easy Ties (com: Easy Tie Shoelaces Red / Black & Grey 37" - 94cm : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry ) A visual is also available in the resources section of my page.
4. Using Utensils to Eat: allowing your child to explore using a fork and spoon during eating time is always an adventure. As they get older, they start to form the way they hold their utensils. A tricky part of eating is using two utensils together: the fork and knife. So, how are we supporting our children in using utensils properly and safely? It is always best to make sure that the plate or bowl is not sliding all over the table to help them only focus on the act of cutting the food. To practice, you can try using play-doh and actual utensils. This requires bilateral coordination (using two hands together): one to hold the food steady, while the other cuts the food. Again, we want to use simple, consistent language on everything! Stab, Slide, Saw! Here is a great video to help( Learning to use a knife and fork - YouTube )