Hygiene

Personal care includes lots of different activities that are important for looking after yourself. This includes brushing your teeth, washing and looking after your hair. Whenever possible, encourage children to complete these tasks independently.

Below is a great video about toilet training and continence issues for children and young people with additional needs with lots of useful tips and support if required.

Useful resources for toilieting:

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Hygiene #TopTips

General Strategies

• Try to complete the task the same way each time.

• Try to be organised; put things back in place so your child will be more independent in finding them.

• Use visual aids to increase your child’s understanding of the task (e.g. pictures, step-by-step guide).

• Allow enough time when practicing

• Remember that some children prefer a firmer touch rather than a lighter touch.

• Allow your child to do as much as they can and give praise for trying to do it themselves

• It may be useful to use timers or counting so the child knows when the activity will end

• Try novelty items with characters or colours your child enjoys

• Use rewards charts to encourage participation

• Your child may need a step to reach the sink. Bath steps are often more stable that children’s steps if your child has reduced balance.

Click each of the green headings below to see further information.

Begin with helping your child at all points, slowly reduce the help as each step becomes easier.

Your child at this stage may have recently been introduced to having their teeth brushed or they may not like having their teeth brushed.

Use the right size toothbrush for your child’s mouth
Allow your child to choose their toothbrush and tooth paste, lots of child characters are available
Use a mirror so your child can see themselves
You may want to stand behind your child while brushing their teeth
Encourage your child to hold the tooth brush and participate where possible
Take your child to the dentist when they have their first milk teeth, this is both for dental health and to increase confidence around being introduced to the dentist at a young age

If your child continues to find tooth brushing difficult:
Try a mild or non-flavoured tooth paste
Try electric and standard tooth brushes
Consider if different tooth pastes have different textures, some children don’t like the bubbles
If your child is finding it hard to accept a standard tooth brush you could try chewy tooth brushes, baby tooth brushes or initially try cleaning with a flannel (the safety of each of these would need to be considered)
For children with additional needs specialist dentists are available. – Link https://www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/what-we-do/dental-healthcare-services/special-care-dental-services

Your child at this stage might start brushing their own teeth

Encourage your child to clean their own teeth (even if an adult needs to do a bit as well)
You may want to guide their hands to ensure they cover all their teeth
Allow children to watch other family members brushing their teeth
Enable your child to see themselves in a mirror
Talk through the process of brushing your teeth
Watch videos and read stories about brushing your teeth and oral hygiene to ensure your child understands the reason for brushing their teeth

When children are confidently brushing their teeth they will require less support
They may still benefit from prompting of when to brush their teeth
A timer can be helpful to ensure they continue for the recommended 2 minutes. These are available on apps, toothbrush holders and some electric toothbrushes.

Your child can now brush their teeth independently.

How we can help

We hope this information will provide you with ideas to break each area of the activity into achievable steps.

If your child continues to have difficulties, please call us on 0300 029 5050 (option 4) via our ADVICE LINE or ask your child's school, nursery or health professional to complete a referral form and send it to us.

For professionals: Referral forms can be found on the 'contact us' page

Need more information

There are a range of products for special needs children available online...

Fledglings: https://fledglings.org.uk/
Argos: https://www.argos.co.uk/
NRS healthcare: https://www.nrshealthcare.co.uk/
Complete care shop https://www.completecareshop.co.uk

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Hygiene

Hygiene #TopTips

General Strategies

How we can help

Need more information

Easy read and translation