Helping Kids Learn the Hygiene Skills They Need to Thrive
As an adult, you probably take grooming and hygiene skills for granted. But some children can struggle with these skills. In some cases, they may have sensory issues that make brushing their teeth or getting dressed unpleasant. In other cases, a child might have a motor condition that makes it difficult to perform the necessary movements for good hygiene.
Either way, the pediatric occupational therapists at PediPlay can help children develop good personal grooming and hygiene–all in a fun, non judgemental way.
Schedule an appointment with our Indianapolis, IN, team to learn how we can help your child!
What Activities Can We Help Improve?
Occupational therapists focus on improving small, day-to-day tasks that can be easily overlooked in other healthcare settings. Many of these tasks only become noticeable when they become neglected. That’s especially true for grooming and hygiene.
Here Are Some Common Examples:
- Showering and bathing
- Handwashing
- Brushing teeth
- Combing hair
- Getting dressed
- Getting haircuts
- Cutting nails
What Your Child Can Expect During Their Sessions
We begin by working with you and your child to understand why they struggle with grooming or hygiene. If your child has underlying motor difficulty, their treatment will look very different than if they have a sensory processing issue.
We also spend time getting to know your child so we can tailor treatment to activities that they enjoy doing. Children learn naturally through playing, so we want to create a playful environment during their sessions. Our occupational therapists then serve as facilitators to guide playtime toward overcoming challenges and improving necessary skills.
Occupational therapy treatments will develop this process over time. However, we encourage families to supplement the in-clinic work with activities and strategies that your child can perform at home. This is especially important when working on hygiene and grooming skills! Our therapists can provide strategies and suggestions to make basic activities like teeth brushing or taking a shower a little more comfortable for your child.