Re: Tips needed for drying off after shower

January 10, 2010

NOPE _ no drying off big guys! Elie drapes his towel around his neck and

then air dries in his room - usually rtaeks about 10 minutes before he puts

on clothes these days - BUT when he was home, I rolled him in a blanket to

dry . Byt the time he unwrapped , he was dry!!!

And he has the same issues at PJ - also uses finger tips - or one finger to

wash around his mouth!! We now are trying warm washclothes to the eyes to

get the crud off his eyelids in themorning - very difficult!

>

> Okay, I'm living with a 19 y/o GUY. He is fine with taking a quick shower

> or a soaking bath most every day, but due to low tone puts no pressure at

> all into washing himself, let alone drying off properly. And right now, he

> has had a slew of skin issues, mostly due to dry winter weather and tons of

> hand washing or using Purel type stuff at school. So we are using some new

> skin products and procedures. One thing for sure is that Pete just doesn't

> sense being wet. Or having soap on him. Or food on his chin. So for his Dad

> or me to constantly tell him where to dry- does no good. I can touch his leg

> or back or belly or head and tell him it is wet- be he doesn't appear to

> " get it " . Then he gets passive, as though he figures he'll just wait us out

> until we dry him off ourselves. It probably feels better to him- like he is

> getting that good pressure put on him- but I'd love for him to be able to do

> this one himself.

>

> (Ha- even washing his hands- he barely uses his fingertips, let alone

> thoroughly rinse off all the soap or dry his hands well.)

>

> I feel like we will never get him more independent without risking some

> skin breakdowns.

>

> Anyone have any suggestions/tips/stories to share? Or all we all still

> drying off our little (and big!) darlin's?

>

> Thanks!

>

> MB

>

--

Sara- different pathways lead to Nirvana.

January 10, 2010

After repeatedly showing how to dry off and pointing out where he was

still wet wellÂ it just never got me anywhere but frustrated.Â He just would

not do it at all orÂ make a half hearted attempt.Â Â I finally told him he could

come out of the bathroom when he was dry and left the room.Â I would check back

and if he was still wet I'd tell him he still needed to dry more and leave

again.Â There were no toys or anything to distract him.Â At first he basically

drip dried.Â But when he was finally dry I'd praise him and let him leave the

bathroom.Â When he finally realized I was not going to do it for him anymore

and that he couldn't leave the bathroom until he was dry - he started trying to

do it for himself.Â Â I noticed andÂ praised the areas that were dry and that he

still needed to dry where ever a little more.Â Â Now he does a pretty good

job.Â Just still need help with his hair.Â Â

Subject: Tips needed for drying off after shower

To:

Date: Sunday, January 10, 2010, 3:47 PM

Â

Okay, I'm living with a 19 y/o GUY. He is fine with taking a quick shower or a

soaking bath most every day, but due to low tone puts no pressure at all into

washing himself, let alone drying off properly. And right now, he has had a slew

of skin issues, mostly due to dry winter weather and tons of hand washing or

using Purel type stuff at school. So we are using some new skin products and

procedures. One thing for sure is that Pete just doesn't sense being wet. Or

having soap on him. Or food on his chin. So for his Dad or me to constantly tell

him where to dry- does no good. I can touch his leg or back or belly or head and

tell him it is wet- be he doesn't appear to " get it " . Then he gets passive, as

though he figures he'll just wait us out until we dry him off ourselves. It

probably feels better to him- like he is getting that good pressure put on him-

but I'd love for him to be able to do this one himself.

(Ha- even washing his hands- he barely uses his fingertips, let alone thoroughly

rinse off all the soap or dry his hands well.)

I feel like we will never get him more independent without risking some skin

breakdowns.

Anyone have any suggestions/ tips/stories to share? Or all we all still drying

off our little (and big!) darlin's?

Thanks!

MB

January 11, 2010

MB - this has also been an issue for us with Jimmy, age 18. They are doing a

kayaking/swimming unit in gym for the next 2 weeks, so I did help him with a

good scrub last night - especially around the ankles, which get little

attention. Sara and - great suggestions!

January 11, 2010

I must admit that Elie for the most part air dries - Just lolls around his

room until he is dry and then gets dressed - we ALWAYS bath him at nite. I

could never handle the stress sof his 2 hour floats in the tub were we to do

that in the morning. And now has found that out as well.

>

> MB - this has also been an issue for us with Jimmy, age 18. They are doing

> a kayaking/swimming unit in gym for the next 2 weeks, so I did help him with

> a good scrub last night - especially around the ankles, which get little

> attention. Sara and - great suggestions!

>

January 11, 2010

After I read through this whole thread I was giggling out loud at the

similarities between our children no matter what the age. Gagging, washing

hands, soap, lotion, drying off - oh they are too funny!

Anyone else have a kid who gags when someone has a lollipop within 100 ft?

The drying off is a struggle for us too. We had a great in-home support worker

who actually taught him some great tips for showering and drying off - of course

all to song! is such a creature of habit everything has to be done in

the same order - Lord help me if I try to have him wash a leg before it's really

time for the leg!

He has a little song that goes something like, " scrub scrub scrub scrub scrub

scrub scrub, all the way down to your toes, don't forget the other side " and

other little ditty's like that! It's all song and dance around here! We have

to offer choices too, arms or legs first? Left or right first? etc...

The support worker figured out a way to teach him how to take the towel off the

hook and then do that flip we all do to get it over our shoulders and around us.

He can do that but then stands there dripping or tries to leave the bathroom

sopping wet heading for his bedroom. Truthfully, he leaps onto his bed and I

think his bed absorbs the bulk of the water as his towel is usually in a heap on

the floor when I get in there! LOL! If the moon and the stars are aligned

properly, he'll play along and do the drying off of each limb if I prompt him.

He was doing so well for the support worker and then once it went back to our

territory...well, somethings we aren't as strict about when left to us I

guess....

Maybe a boardmaker picture strip of the order of operations for drying off?

Post it in the bathroom or his room - wherever he dries off... then you could

fade to pointing after he starts to get the vocal prompts...

that usually helps us a bit.

this will be a fun thread!

Jayne

>

> Okay, I'm living with a 19 y/o GUY. He is fine with taking a quick shower or

a soaking bath most every day, but due to low tone puts no pressure at all into

washing himself, let alone drying off properly. And right now, he has had a

slew of skin issues, mostly due to dry winter weather and tons of hand washing

or using Purel type stuff at school. So we are using some new skin products and

procedures. One thing for sure is that Pete just doesn't sense being wet. Or

having soap on him. Or food on his chin. So for his Dad or me to constantly

tell him where to dry- does no good. I can touch his leg or back or belly or

head and tell him it is wet- be he doesn't appear to " get it " . Then he gets

passive, as though he figures he'll just wait us out until we dry him off

ourselves. It probably feels better to him- like he is getting that good

pressure put on him- but I'd love for him to be able to do this one himself.

>

> (Ha- even washing his hands- he barely uses his fingertips, let alone

thoroughly rinse off all the soap or dry his hands well.)

>

> I feel like we will never get him more independent without risking some skin

breakdowns.

>

> Anyone have any suggestions/tips/stories to share? Or all we all still drying

off our little (and big!) darlin's?

>

> Thanks!

>

> MB

>

January 11, 2010

I bathe and dry , 10. He can help a bit but not much. He HATES

being dried off with a towel. He'll cry out " Ouch, ouch " when I'm

drying him. I assume that's a sensory defensiveness issue.

Beth

Quoting Jayne :

> After I read through this whole thread I was giggling out loud at

> the similarities between our children no matter what the age.

> Gagging, washing hands, soap, lotion, drying off - oh they are too

> funny!

>

> Anyone else have a kid who gags when someone has a lollipop within 100 ft?

>

> The drying off is a struggle for us too. We had a great in-home

> support worker who actually taught him some great tips for showering

> and drying off - of course all to song! is such a creature

> of habit everything has to be done in the same order - Lord help me

> if I try to have him wash a leg before it's really time for the leg!

>

> He has a little song that goes something like, " scrub scrub scrub

> scrub scrub scrub scrub, all the way down to your toes, don't forget

> the other side " and other little ditty's like that! It's all song

> and dance around here! We have to offer choices too, arms or legs

> first? Left or right first? etc...

>

> The support worker figured out a way to teach him how to take the

> towel off the hook and then do that flip we all do to get it over

> our shoulders and around us. He can do that but then stands there

> dripping or tries to leave the bathroom sopping wet heading for his

> bedroom. Truthfully, he leaps onto his bed and I think his bed

> absorbs the bulk of the water as his towel is usually in a heap on

> the floor when I get in there! LOL! If the moon and the stars are

> aligned properly, he'll play along and do the drying off of each

> limb if I prompt him. He was doing so well for the support worker

> and then once it went back to our territory...well, somethings we

> aren't as strict about when left to us I guess....

>

> Maybe a boardmaker picture strip of the order of operations for

> drying off? Post it in the bathroom or his room - wherever he dries

> off... then you could fade to pointing after he starts to get the

> vocal prompts...

>

> that usually helps us a bit.

>

> this will be a fun thread!

>

> Jayne

>

>>

>> Okay, I'm living with a 19 y/o GUY. He is fine with taking a quick

>> shower or a soaking bath most every day, but due to low tone puts

>> no pressure at all into washing himself, let alone drying off

>> properly. And right now, he has had a slew of skin issues, mostly

>> due to dry winter weather and tons of hand washing or using Purel

>> type stuff at school. So we are using some new skin products and

>> procedures. One thing for sure is that Pete just doesn't sense

>> being wet. Or having soap on him. Or food on his chin. So for his

>> Dad or me to constantly tell him where to dry- does no good. I can

>> touch his leg or back or belly or head and tell him it is wet- be

>> he doesn't appear to " get it " . Then he gets passive, as though he

>> figures he'll just wait us out until we dry him off ourselves. It

>> probably feels better to him- like he is getting that good pressure

>> put on him- but I'd love for him to be able to do this one himself.

>>

>> (Ha- even washing his hands- he barely uses his fingertips, let

>> alone thoroughly rinse off all the soap or dry his hands well.)

>>

>> I feel like we will never get him more independent without risking

>> some skin breakdowns.

>>

>> Anyone have any suggestions/tips/stories to share? Or all we all

>> still drying off our little (and big!) darlin's?

>>

>> Thanks!

>>

>> MB

>>

>

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January 11, 2010

we just have nathan mimic us after he showers, or we name body parts we see are

wet, he is also 18yrs old and only does a partial job if someone isnt

supervising him

Re: Re: Tips needed for drying off after shower

I must admit that Elie for the most part air dries - Just lolls around his

room until he is dry and then gets dressed - we ALWAYS bath him at nite. I

could never handle the stress sof his 2 hour floats in the tub were we to do

that in the morning. And now has found that out as well.

>

> MB - this has also been an issue for us with Jimmy, age 18. They are doing

> a kayaking/swimming unit in gym for the next 2 weeks, so I did help him with

> a good scrub last night - especially around the ankles, which get little

> attention. Sara and - great suggestions!

>

January 11, 2010

I still do everything for Emelinne. She will wash body parts if you tell her to

but not hard enough to be thorough. Drying off?! I tried in the past for her to

do it but she gets mad, moves the towel up and down and that is all she will do

while complaining. The towel always ends up on the floor in a matter of seconds.

Nereida in NC

Emelinne DS (17)

> >

> > Okay, I'm living with a 19 y/o GUY. He is fine with taking a quick shower

or a soaking bath most every day, but due to low tone puts no pressure at all

into washing himself, let alone drying off properly. And right now, he has had

a slew of skin issues, mostly due to dry winter weather and tons of hand washing