Self-Help and Functional Skills

Self-Help and Functional Skills – page 3

Self-Help and Functional Skills

At times parents find it easier to do self-help skills for their children due to time restraints, low child frustration tolerance, difficulty seeing the child struggle, etc. You are doing you child a disservice by not letting him/her practice these skills on a regular basis. The more time you take to teach the child and have them practice, the more independent they become and consequently feel good about themselves. Working on self-help and functional skills also promotes fine motor skills, visual perceptual and cognitive skills, improves attention, and contributes to the child’s emotional well-being.

By the time a child reaches kindergarten age they have mastered many self-help and independent skills such as:

1. Toilet trained

2. Undress self except help with some fasteners

3. Dress self in simple clothes

4. Mange simple fasteners – Velcro, pull zipper up/down, easy large snaps, simple buckles, buttons

5. Wash self in bathtub or shower/dry self off

6. Assist with washing hair

7. Comb hair grossly but still difficulty with styling

8. Brush teeth (but parent needs to go over more thoroughly)

9. Wash hands independently (cueing to use soap longer)

10. Pour from small containers

11. Spread butter or other materials on toast

12. Do simple chores

13. Put away toys

14. Follow 2-3 step directions

15. Follow routines easily

16. Entertain self with playing for at least 30 minutes

17. Feed self with spoon and fork with minimal messiness

18. Serve self from family plate or bowl

19. Drink from open cup

20. Cut simple food such as banana

For children with delays and motor impairments there are often techniques or adaptations to make self-help skills easier. Consulting with an Occupational Therapist is recommended. There are many pre-requisites for dressing including actively moving muscles against gravity, good range of motion in joints, coordination and arm and hand control, balance skills, ability to reach, grasp and release, visual skills, and visual perceptual skills.

Self-Help Tips:

1. Allow plenty of time for the child to practice skills. When parents are in a rush, they tend to do the task for the child or put pressure on the child to “hurry up”.

2. Break tasks into smaller parts so child can be successful at each stage. For example:

a. Child first washes just face or chest, then progresses to other body parts

b. On socks, teach child how to get thumbs inside of sock to pull open before having them reach down and put on foot.

c. Start with large easy buttons on Mom’s sweaters, Dad’s suitcoats. Or on dressing dolls. Doing buttons on self is harder. You can start by having child push button through hole while you hold material, then progress him to doing both.

d. Start with very easy chores, work up to more difficult ones.

3. Praise child frequently for independence, even a small aspect. Remind them what a big helper they are.

4. If a child continues to struggle with a practiced task try the following: change the verbal cues (child may not understand certain language you are using or you may be using too much language), change to reinforcement, change the time of day, break the task into steps.

5. Remember, undressing is learned before dressing.

Developmental Stages of Dressing:

1 year

· Cooperates with dressing by pushing arms/legs through sleeves or pants

· Helps hold foot up for shoe or sock

· Attempts to pull off socks/shoes

· Puts simple hat on head and takes off

2 to 3 years

· Removes unfastened coat or jacket

· Removes shoes/socks

· Helps push down pants

· Finds armholes in shirts

· Removes pull-down pants with elastic waist

· Attempts to put on socks

· Puts on front-button coat/shirt

3 to 4 years

· Puts on T-shirt with minimal assist

· Puts on shoes

· Puts on socks (some difficulty with position of heel)

· Pulls down/pulls up elastic pants

· Buttons large buttons

· Zips/unzips

4 to 5 years

· Does simple buckles

· Removes and puts on shirts

· Able to recognize front/back of clothing

· Puts on socks correctly

5 to 6 years

· Dresses independently

· Manages buttons

· Engages zipper

· May tie shoes

6 to 7 years

· Snaps easily

· Buttons large and small buttons

· Ties shoes

Compiled by Occupational Therapy Department

Union Co. Public Schools , Monroe, NC