Post by matthewsmom on Jul 6, 2009 19:10:04 GMT -5
I was reading a couple of the posts in another topic by moms (Kim) and (msp123) who mentioned that their kids need help with bathing and dressing.
My own child, Matthew, is developmentally delayed in all areas. He requires a great deal of assistance with his everyday needs. I cannot leave him alone in the bathtub. It is not safe for Matthew. He is still like a young toddler in many ways and he is more content to just sit in the tub and play.
I have a goal to help him learn to wash his different body parts and he will wash his tummy if I ask him to but only for a couple seconds. He definitely requires his dad or me to help him with all of his bathing needs. He is content to sit in the tub with a big plastic cup and scoop up water and then pour it out. He will pour it on himself and rinse himself off and for quite awhile he would pour it outside of the tub all over the floor.
Matthew also needs help with washing his hands at the sink. He has to be told every step and I actually have to do hand-over-hand with him to get him to put his hands under the water, get the soap, rub his hands together, rinse his hands and dry them off. He will not automatically do this on his own.
He doesn't comb his own hair and requires help with this as well.
He requires assistance with washing his face.
Matthew has huge aversions to things going in his mouth. It took me FOREVER to get a toothbrush in his mouth to brush his teeth. He will not brush his own teeth. I have to do it for him and he still does not like it.
We take Matthew to a special needs dentist. I found that, for Matthew, it works better if we take him to get his teeth cleaned every three months. It helps him become more used to going to the dentist and having things in his mouth and it also helps because if we wait every 6 months the dentist is not able to get his teeth cleaned well enough since he doesn't like it. When he had to have cavities filled or a tooth pulled he had to go in to the hospital and his dentist did the work in the hospital while he was put under with general anesthesia. That is not something I want to do at all but for Matthew it is something that is required.
Matthew is extremely limited in his abilities to dress or undress himself. His dad or I dress and undress him on a daily basis. He also wouldn't know what to pick out. He can't put on his socks. He CAN take them off though. He doesn't put on his shoes but he can take his shoes off. He is able to help take his shirt off if I first pull his arms out of the sleeves. Then he will take his shirt off over his head. He doesn't put his pants on or take them off without help. He can unzip zippers but cannot do buttons and cannot tie his shoes. I could not leave Matthew's clothes out and tell him to go get dressed. He wouldn't even know what to do. I need to talk him through it step-by-step and help him as well.
I actually finished reading the book written by Kim Peek's father, Fran Peek called "The Real Rain Man Kim Peek" and it's quite interesting how Fran says that his grown son (a mega savant who has ACC-as well as other medical conditions) requires help with dressing himself. He said that Kim would not line up the buttons on his shirt and he may only have one shoe on, etc. His dad also said that his son requires help with shaving and bathing and brushing his teeth. More information about Kim Peek with videos and his father's book can be found at the link below if anyone is interested:
agenesiscorpuscallosum.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Real%20Rainman
Sandie *Mom to 15 year old Matthew with complete ACC*
My own child, Matthew, is developmentally delayed in all areas. He requires a great deal of assistance with his everyday needs. I cannot leave him alone in the bathtub. It is not safe for Matthew. He is still like a young toddler in many ways and he is more content to just sit in the tub and play.
I have a goal to help him learn to wash his different body parts and he will wash his tummy if I ask him to but only for a couple seconds. He definitely requires his dad or me to help him with all of his bathing needs. He is content to sit in the tub with a big plastic cup and scoop up water and then pour it out. He will pour it on himself and rinse himself off and for quite awhile he would pour it outside of the tub all over the floor.
Matthew also needs help with washing his hands at the sink. He has to be told every step and I actually have to do hand-over-hand with him to get him to put his hands under the water, get the soap, rub his hands together, rinse his hands and dry them off. He will not automatically do this on his own.
He doesn't comb his own hair and requires help with this as well.
He requires assistance with washing his face.
Matthew has huge aversions to things going in his mouth. It took me FOREVER to get a toothbrush in his mouth to brush his teeth. He will not brush his own teeth. I have to do it for him and he still does not like it.
We take Matthew to a special needs dentist. I found that, for Matthew, it works better if we take him to get his teeth cleaned every three months. It helps him become more used to going to the dentist and having things in his mouth and it also helps because if we wait every 6 months the dentist is not able to get his teeth cleaned well enough since he doesn't like it. When he had to have cavities filled or a tooth pulled he had to go in to the hospital and his dentist did the work in the hospital while he was put under with general anesthesia. That is not something I want to do at all but for Matthew it is something that is required.
Matthew is extremely limited in his abilities to dress or undress himself. His dad or I dress and undress him on a daily basis. He also wouldn't know what to pick out. He can't put on his socks. He CAN take them off though. He doesn't put on his shoes but he can take his shoes off. He is able to help take his shirt off if I first pull his arms out of the sleeves. Then he will take his shirt off over his head. He doesn't put his pants on or take them off without help. He can unzip zippers but cannot do buttons and cannot tie his shoes. I could not leave Matthew's clothes out and tell him to go get dressed. He wouldn't even know what to do. I need to talk him through it step-by-step and help him as well.
I actually finished reading the book written by Kim Peek's father, Fran Peek called "The Real Rain Man Kim Peek" and it's quite interesting how Fran says that his grown son (a mega savant who has ACC-as well as other medical conditions) requires help with dressing himself. He said that Kim would not line up the buttons on his shirt and he may only have one shoe on, etc. His dad also said that his son requires help with shaving and bathing and brushing his teeth. More information about Kim Peek with videos and his father's book can be found at the link below if anyone is interested:
agenesiscorpuscallosum.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Real%20Rainman
Sandie *Mom to 15 year old Matthew with complete ACC*
