Bathing skills in children: Personal hygiene and activities of daily living

The presentation above is an information guide on bathing skills in children.

Bathing is an important self-care skill that should be taught to children as they grow. Introducing bathing skills early on helps children maintain hygiene, develop independence and ensure their well-being.

Step-by-step approach

One of the major concerns in introducing new tasks to children with autism is their difficulty in transitioning from one task to the other. 

This can make elaborate activities such as bathing even more difficult. It is better to break down the complete activity into smaller, sequential steps. This helps the child understand better and instills confidence to perform the task.

Steps in bathing

1. Help the child undress
2. Wet themselves
3. Stand under the shower or near the bucket
4. Take soap or apply the shower gel onto their hand
5. Apply soap all over the body in the following order: stomach, arms, hands and fingers, legs, feet and toes, face, neck and ears.
6. Rinse and wash
7. Dry with a towel

Be consistent

• It is important that once introduced, a proper routine is set and followed. 
• This helps the child anticipate what is to be expected in the task and when followed consistently, helps the child overcome any fear and get used to it.
• This helps in the child performing the task without getting overwhelmed.

Tailored learning

Children with autism often find it difficult to learn and master important daily living activities such as bathing or brushing. It is important to understand and address the underlying causes of the child’s difficulty.

Sensory sensitivities

It is one of the major causes of the child’s difficulty in bathing. The child may have a heightened sensitivity to:

1. The water temperature
2. The feeling of water on the skin and face
3. The feeling of soap or shampoo on the skin and face
4. Immediate surroundings – the lights and temperature in the bathroom, the slippery nature of the bathtub or the bathroom floor

By addressing the sensory concerns, we can create a stress free and sensory friendly environment for the child. Choosing the correct bath items will go a long way to help children get comfortable with bath time.

1. Depending on the child’s preference, an unscented soap or a soap with mild fragrances can be selected.
2. If the child is uncomfortable with the textures of the soap, a shower gel can be used. Alternatively, a washcloth or loofah can also be used which might provide the required sensory stimuli.
3. Adjusting the water temperature as well as the pressure to be comfortable to the child, would help ease the child into the bathtime routine.
4. Additional comfort to the child can be provided, like using a chair or stool if the child doesn’t like the wet bathroom floor. If the child is uncomfortable with water flowing over their head, a shower cap can be used.

Making such small changes to the child’s bath time routine will help make the child overcome any fear associated with the activity, making them more comfortable with it.

Use visual aids 

Visual aids offer a step by step guide clearly explaining the steps involved. This can help the child get a clear understanding of what is expected in the task. The child will gradually be able to perform the task with the help of step by step visual prompts rather than verbal prompts from the adult, fostering independence.

Using a social story that talks about bath time as an important yet fun activity can also be used to make the child comfortable to bath time.

Reinforce and recognise

• It is important to recognise the child’s efforts at each step. 
• This encouragement offers an opportunity to build new skills. Reinforcement also helps associate the activity with positive experience.  

Following these strategies can help motivate children with autism to actively participate and enjoy bath time, gaining independent self-care skills. 

It is important to remember that children with Autism are very receptive to learning from visual schedules. These serve as a guide that visually illustrates steps of a given activity in a structured manner. Please use visual schedules where possible during the teaching process.

The Jai Vakeel Foundation has helped us compile a step-by-step process to walk your children through the act of bathing skills every day.

Do you want to teach your child brushing skills as well? Refer to the link here to learn.

You may also seek tips from Ms. Snehal Vaidya, Occupational Therapist about activities of daily living.

If you have questions about Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, or other Intellectual Disabilities, or have concerns about developmental delays in a child, the Nayi Disha team is here to help. For any questions or queries, please contact our FREE Helpline at 844-844-8996. You can call or what’s app us.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide is for information purposes only. Please consult a qualified health practitioner for proper guidance.