Caregivers and parents have in certain cases become frustrated training their child a simple skills such as toothbrushing or tying shoes. Below are some tips for creative use of other equipment or equipment in general to make your training much more rapid and fun for your child!
1. Toothbrushing- to make tooth brushing easier parents may try and electric toothbrush. Some of them are quite inexpensive. One can purchase a battery operated toothbrush for under 10 dollars at a drugstore or department store. Also, parents can purchase a preferred brush for your child. For example if he likes superman one might purchase the superman electric tooth brush.
2. Shoe lace tying- to make teaching shoe tying parent or caregiver might try using other types of shoes such as velcro shoes or slip on tennis shoes.
3. Eating skills- there are a large variety of adaptive equipment available for eating. For example, a built up spoon for someone who has an unsteady or weak grasp.
4. Walking- teaching someone to walk one can start with a more restrictive device such as a walker then fade to a three legged cane and then to a cane. Always, make sure to consult with and follow any physical therapy or medical recommendations when working with adaptive equipment.
5. Drinking- there are special cups such as cups with a straw, cups similar to a child's "sippy cup" and large or smaller sized cups. Start out with one and then slowly fade to a more normal cup.
6. Hair brushing- is your child upset when you comb her hair? Try using a wide tooth comb or brush and then gradually fading to smaller teeth. In some cases a wide tooth comb might be continued indefinitely to prevent pulling the hair as you comb.
Always remember to use reinforcement, shaping in combination with the adaptive equipment and you will have more rapid results from your training with your client and child!
1. Toothbrushing- to make tooth brushing easier parents may try and electric toothbrush. Some of them are quite inexpensive. One can purchase a battery operated toothbrush for under 10 dollars at a drugstore or department store. Also, parents can purchase a preferred brush for your child. For example if he likes superman one might purchase the superman electric tooth brush.
2. Shoe lace tying- to make teaching shoe tying parent or caregiver might try using other types of shoes such as velcro shoes or slip on tennis shoes.
3. Eating skills- there are a large variety of adaptive equipment available for eating. For example, a built up spoon for someone who has an unsteady or weak grasp.
4. Walking- teaching someone to walk one can start with a more restrictive device such as a walker then fade to a three legged cane and then to a cane. Always, make sure to consult with and follow any physical therapy or medical recommendations when working with adaptive equipment.
5. Drinking- there are special cups such as cups with a straw, cups similar to a child's "sippy cup" and large or smaller sized cups. Start out with one and then slowly fade to a more normal cup.
6. Hair brushing- is your child upset when you comb her hair? Try using a wide tooth comb or brush and then gradually fading to smaller teeth. In some cases a wide tooth comb might be continued indefinitely to prevent pulling the hair as you comb.
Always remember to use reinforcement, shaping in combination with the adaptive equipment and you will have more rapid results from your training with your client and child!
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