Treffer: Learning Self-Care Skills. Functional Programming for People with Autism: A Series.

Many individuals with autism need systematic, intensive teaching in self-care skills due to deficits in language and attention skills, interfering behaviors, and/or sensory impairments. Teaching self-care skills should occur naturally during daily routines, in all environments. Assessments are done to determine current abilities, strengths, and likes as well as frustrators and limitations. Targeted skills may be designated by participants of an interdisciplinary team. A longitudinal and functional approach should be taken when planning a self-care skill program. The steps for each self-care skill need to be broken down and clearly defined. Steps in a task analysis for combing hair and for toothbrushing are listed. To teach effectively, it is helpful to define the style in which the individual with autism learns best, whether it be visual, sounds, words, touch, and/or smell. The instructional design should also consider the use of physical and verbal cues, behavioral support, generalization and maintenance, and reinforcement. Two case study examples are provided, one of a boy learning to feed himself and one of a girl learning to dress independently. Appendixes contain sample assessment charts and an instructional aid for a sample morning routine. (JDD)