Teaching Your Child with Autism to Dress Themselves

Parents of a child with autism understand that sometimes, daily tasks that most people don’t think twice about can become a daunting experience. For example, for a child with Autism, dressing themselves independently can be difficult. However, building your child’s confidence and skill at doing everyday tasks like this on their own will help with their development, as well as their potential for independent living in the future.

Getting dressed seems simple, but when you break it down, it is more complicated than you think:

• The clothes should match

• They need to be weather appropriate

• They need to be put on in a specific order

• They need to be turned in a specific direction

• They need to be buttoned, laced and zipped

• They need to be pulled over your head

• They need to be put on while you balance on one leg

We are so used to getting dressed, that we do all of these things with ease, and we forget all the details involved. Teaching a child with autism to dress themselves means understanding the challenges that they face, and going from there.

With that in mind, here are some tips for teaching you child to dress him or herself.

Start With Undressing First.

It’s often easier to remove clothing than to put it on. With this in mind, having your child get undressed can help them gain an understanding of what the process entails – without some of the struggles that putting clothes on may present.

Show Them the Front and Back.

Before your child tries to put on clothing, show them which is the front, and which is the back. Use tags, graphics and writing on clothing as examples of what goes where. This will help your child identify these markers when they are trying to put clothes on by themselves.

Chose Comfortable Clothing.

The easier the clothes are to put on, the more likely your child will want to dress by themselves. If your child struggles with buttons, try to buy clothes with a zipper, or an elastic waistband. If your child has difficulty with laces, buy them shoes with Velcro.

Don’t Try to Teach When You’re in a Hurry.

This is good advice no matter what you’re teaching. Don’t try to teach your child how to dress when you are trying to rush out of the house in the morning. Instead, choose a weekend or an afternoon where you won’t feel hurried for them to get everything right on the first try.

Give Your Child Options.

If you really want your child to become more independent, you must afford them the ability to make their own choices. The more they can feel like they are doing something for themselves, the better and more confident they will feel executing it. It also teaches them how to make decisions on their own, and gives them a sense of control over the situation.

Be Patient.

Being patient is always a key when helping a child with Autism, and this situation is just another example. Your child may need a lot of guidance and help today, but the purpose of exercises like this is for him or her to slowly develop a sense of independence, and the skills that are necessary for them to act independently in the future. Your patience today will mean a great deal for your child down the road, and you will feel a great amount of pride to see him or her succeed on their own in the future.

www.AutismCollection.com has multiple training videos that can help you learn to unlock your child's full potential. Does your child dislike their teachers and therapists? You have to see our Creating a Willing Learner video! More topics can be found on our website.