Step Up and Smile

When your child begins to stand, you should know that it’s time to get a stepping stool! You will know which stool is right for him, by following some guidelines. First, when standing on the stool, his body should be close to the sink. Second, when standing on the stool, the sink should be at the height of his lower chest. Third, he should be able to easily reach the faucet when he extends his hand. Although he can brush his teeth without looking, it is better if there is a mirror where he can see his reflection and flaunt the results of his efforts shining in front of the mirror!

To know which position is best for your child at every age, and more about specification for finding the right stepping stool, and if any adaptations are needed during this activity, reach out to ONESTI’s professionals.

Fruity Fresh

If you find that your child is screaming and running away every time you announce that it’s time to brush his teeth, or he pulls away as you are approaching him with the toothbrush, and/or experiences a gag reflex by coughing and seeming to want to throw up, then it’s time to watch out for sensory difficulties. Your child may be having difficulty tolerating the texture of the brush bristles touching his inner cheeks, tongue, and/or gums, or feeling discomfort with texture, taste, or smell of the toothpaste.

Routine activities help children connect language to the world around them. Some routines have A special language that goes along with them – e.g. When a parent takes the toothbrush and puts the toothpaste on it, both the child and the parent share a mutual focus or a common interest. If the parent then says, “let’s put the toothpaste on the brush”, grabbing each named object this allows the child to begin to attach each word to the corresponding object. In this brief interaction, the shared activity provides the foundation for understanding

Some kids may be interested and excited about choosing their toothbrush design or their favorite toothpaste flavor and find this daily routine fun. On the other hand, we might observe huge tantrums because we asked our child to brush his/her teeth.

So, if your little one is giving you a hard time every time they’re asked to brush their teeth or if your child keeps crying during this routine, and no matter what the reasons behind this are, challenging behaviors should be dealt with in a very calm and comfortable way for both parents and children.

Our behavior specialists at Onesti will help you know the reason behind your child’s challenging behavior and help you identify your child’s challenges in case they are there! In addition to that, Onesti’s behavior specialists will empower you with the evidence based strategies and techniques in order to know how to deal with every challenging behavior you face with your child throughout your daily routines.

ONESTI will help you learn more about your child’s sensory preferences and how you can adapt the sensory characteristics of everything related to brushing teeth to suit his sensory needs. Our “Senses in harmony “ program will provide you with individualized sensory exercises to decrease discomfort, increase sensory tolerance level, and complete this task in a minty fresh breeze.

If your child is struggling in becoming independent when brushing teeth, and it’s difficult for him to do it on his own and always asking for your help, fill ONESTI’s “Independent Me” checklist and learn more about the reasons why he’s finding this transition to independency difficult. Whether it is related to delay in certain skill areas, or it has to do with sensory intolerances or it is just about a challenging behavior that has been reinforced. Our “Independent Me” program will provide you with strategies to develop your child’s prerequisite skills that will allow him to perform every routine. The program will offer guidelines to any necessary adaptations to make every routine easier to complete on his own.

Vanity Fair

It doesn’t matter whether your little girl is sitting at her vanity in the bedroom, or standing on a stool is the bathroom during this activity. What matters is that her upper body, head, and neck are in an upright position to give her the needed stability as her hair is being tugged at.

To know which position is best for your child at every age, and more about specification for finding the right stepping stool, and if any adaptations are needed during this activity, reach out to ONESTI professionals.

Gentle Untangle

Sometimes hair brushing won’t be a fun experience for both parents and child. You find yourself running around the house chasing your child to comb/brush their hair. What you need to know is that sometimes there is a good reason for their escape. Some children have difficulty tolerating the brush/comb touching their scalp or the small tugs at their hair as it’s being combed/brushed.  Your little girl might be irritated when her hair is being tied up with a scrunchy, or pinched with a clip and pins. This may be the result of difficulties you child is having in accepting the sensory stimuli related to this activity.

Given the structural nature of routines, specific vocabulary and language can often be repeated while doing a task. For example, when we brush our child’s hair, we can teach a word by repeating it in context, such as “comb”, “brush”, “straighten”, “tie”. You can use this daily activity to help your child understand routine instructions. By frequently labelling actions and items while performing the routines, children will learn the associated words, and begin to pick them up and use these words themselves! Always finish the routine on a positive note of encouragement, this will motivate you child’s participation the next time he has to brush his teeth.

Maybe you have never thought that combing hair is a routine where you might face challenging behavior with your child. There are some children that may have challenges with brushing their hair for different reasons. Some little ones associate it with a certain routine like having to go to school or daycare, which increases their anxiety. Other children might consider it overstimulating. Whatever the reason is, it can be very disruptive to your child’s routine, and anyone else in the home as well.

So, if you are facing a hard time brushing  your little one’s hair; or if you feel your child is suffering during this daily routine , and no matter what the reasons behind this are, challenging behaviors should be dealt with in a very calm and comfortable way for both parents and children.

Our behavior specialists at Onesti will help you know the reason behind your child’s challenging behavior and help you identify your child’s challenges, in case they are there! In addition to that, Onesti’s behavior specialists will empower you with the evidence based strategies and techniques in order to know how to deal with every challenging behavior you face with your child throughout your daily routines.

ONESTI will help you learn more about your child’s sensory preferences, how you can adapt the sensory characteristics of everything related to brushing/combing hair, and adapt the techniques you are using to suit her/his sensory needs. Our “Senses in harmony “ program will provide you with individualized sensory exercises to decrease discomfort, increase sensory tolerance level, and complete this task in an easy-going style.

If your child is struggling in becoming independent this routine, and it’s difficult for him to do it on his own and always asking for your help, fill ONESTI’s “Independent Me” checklist and learn more about the reasons why he’s finding this transition to independency difficult. Whether it is related to delay in certain skill areas, or it has to do with sensory intolerances or it is just about a challenging behavior that has been reinforced. Our “Independent Me” program will provide you with strategies to develop your child’s prerequisite skills that will allow him to perform every routine. The program will offer guidelines to any necessary adaptations to make every routine easier to complete on his own.

Hold on to Slippery Soap

When your child begins to explore finger feeding, it’s also a good idea to begin exposing her to the routine activity of washing hands and face. She can explore the slippery feeling of soap between her fingers and on her cheeks. By the time she’s able to connect blocks, you will know that she will be able to begin washing herself with your help. She will gradually learn to use her vision with her hands in coordination which is a skill she will need to push the soap dispenser with one hand and collect the dropping soap with the other hand. To rub her hands together, whether with foam or with a bar of soap she will need to have developed good motor coordination. It’s also this coordination that is needed to collect water in her little hands to wash her face with. By the time she’s 3, she should be able to wash her hands and face independently with an acceptable level of cleanliness, so applaud the results and offer a hand.

If your child has had enough practice and yet you find that she is still struggling with any of the tasks explained above, it is advised that you reach out to ONESTI professionals to find out why.

Wash Me Tender

If you find that your child is uncomfortable, feeling irritated, and/or crying every time you wash her hands and/or her face, it is important to look into this matter. This behavior could be the result of irritation caused by one or more of the sensory characteristics of this routine. It may be the slippery feeling of soap, the temperature of the water, the texture of the towel, or an indication that your child may be sensitive to all these things touching her skin, or what is called tactile hypersensitivity.

Given the structural nature of routines, specific vocabulary and language can often be repeated while doing a task. For example, when you are washing your child’s hands or face, you can teach and repeat the word “soap”, “water”, “clean”, “open”, “close”. You can use this daily activity to help your child understand routine instructions. By frequently labelling actions and items while performing the routines, children will learn the associated words, and begin to pick them up and use these words themselves! In addition, this will help them follow simple directives because the repetitive nature of the activity will help them anticipate what is expected of them. Always finish the routine on a positive note of encouragement, this will motivate your child’s participation the next time it’s time to wash his hands or face. Remember a child who has difficulty expressing needs or has too few vocabulary words to express what s/he wants, will be prone to get frustrated and develop behavior problems more than other children.

Washing hands and face is one of the most important hygiene measures for preventing the spread of diseases. Yet, a lot of young children lack the understanding of germ transfer and refuse to give up the activity they are doing to go and wash up. Your child might engage in some challenging behaviors during this transition.

So, if your little one opposes or avoids this routine or is agitated and cries when washing hands and face, and no matter what the reasons behind this are, challenging behaviors should be dealt with in a very calm and comfortable way for both parents and children.

Our behavior specialists at Onesti will help you know the reasons behind your child’s challenging behavior and help you identify your child’s issues and challenges in case they are there!  In addition to that, Onesti’s behavior specialists will empower you with the evidence based strategies and techniques in order to know how to deal with every challenging behavior you face with your child throughout your daily routines

ONESTI will help you learn more about your child’s sensory preferences, how you can adapt the sensory characteristics of everything related to washing hands and face, and adapt the techniques you are using to suit her/his sensory needs. Our “Senses in harmony “ program will provide you with individualized sensory exercises to decrease discomfort, increase sensory tolerance level, and complete this task in an easy-going style.

If your child is struggling in becoming independent during washing hands and face, and it’s difficult for him to do it on his own and always asking for your help, fill ONESTI’s “Independent Me” checklist and learn more about the reasons why he’s finding this transition to independency difficult. Whether it is related to delay in certain skill areas, or it has to do with sensory intolerances or it is just about a challenging behavior that has been reinforced. Our “Independent Me” program will provide you with strategies to develop your child’s prerequisite skills that will allow him to perform every routine. The program will offer guidelines to any necessary adaptations to make every routine easier to complete on his own.