Any advice please

[bluejean-genie]

Nat is refusing to get a wash, bath or shower as he says he cannot stand the feel of the soapy water on his skin. I was wondering if anyone else has had any experience of this? I have suggested I would buy him some wet wipes but that has been met with anger.

[CarerQuie]

How old is he?This sounds like a teen thing.Iknow there is a book written for ASD teens about hygiene issues and the reasons for washing,etc.Can't remember what its called.xx

[witsend]

Would Nat accept a bath without bubbles? Perhaps that would be a start. There are some shower gels that are more a mousse and my son accepts those where he won't accept other soap like products, but they are very lathery (is that a word?) so maybe that would be worse for Nat. How old is he? Would he accept 'bath bombs' they are fun to watch fizzing in the water but don't soap up like soap but may still help with getting him clean. My son now refuses to shower but will accept a bath if I sit with him and read to him, are there any distraction techniques you could use like that. Sorry if that's a ridiculous idea - sure someone else will have a better one - luv Witsend.

[Elouise]

Nathan does Kevin the autistic teenager to avengence.

 

I cheat........when I get desperate I send him out with buckets of water and a housepipe to wash my car for me.

He gets soaked every single time.

I send Sam out to water the vegetables with the same purpose in mind as sam does not do wet but he is growing an experiment.

 

When he comes in dripping I *cough* sympathise and suggest he takes his wet clothes off in a nice warm bath as thats easier than stripping off cold wet clothes.

Then I can pinch his clothes and wash them too.

 

One thing to nore though.

Your son may be like mine and hate the smell of just about everything on the market even Lush.

 

I use Simple or baby bath. When his skin is being riped to pieces by him and hurts his doctor prescribed a soothing bath emoillant.

 

It only takes one bath where the soap stung a patch of sore skin to end up with a behaviour issue to deal with. If he is able to see if you can remember what happened between the last happy bath and the first refussed one or if this was a gradual tightening up on the idea of whats acceptable for Nat.

[lynyona]

hi sounds like i coul do with that book carerquie recomended.My son kieran who is 19 hates going in the bath or shower for what reason i dont know whether its a sensory thing but he is under the impression that if you arent going out anywhere you dont need to get washed or showered or change your clothes phewwww.He will go in eventually after a lot of nagging and the time s ive threatend to put him in fully clothed lol.He has trouble with teeth brushing as well. he doesnt like it and because of his poor co ordination finds it difficult. lynn

[Hectorshouse]

T doesnt have this problem can't get him out of the bath once he's in, still has loads of bottles and toys etc in the bath with him and he's 12, but I don't care about that as he needs to bathe every day as other aspects of his personal hygene are pretty cr*p he never used to like to use toilet paper, found him using flannels ... now use the kando thingys but he still resists, doesnt mind having a poohy bottom or boxer shorts ... aaaggghhh & yuuuccchhh!

 

HHxx

[Guest flutter]

wa gonna post about the toilet hygene thing myself

my daughter will NOT use loo roll, ( apart form making a B"&&%$ mess with int in her room)

i have recently had to throw quite a lot of underwear out.

I have bought Kandoo, and told her she will get infections in ohter places, if she not clean, had to scare her really and i feel mean,

it worked a few weeks ago when she gave herself an intersting bikini job, ( and some)

gave everyone around me a larf, and prob most of u too

We bath and shower for bribes

Edited June 23, 2005 by flutter

[bluejean-genie]

Thank you all for your replies.

Nat is 13 yrs old,

I have bought him the book "Personal hygiene,what's it got to do with me?" but that hasn't helped as he won't even look at it or read it. The bath bombs sound like they are worth trying.

I tried the germ idea but he still wouldn't budge. We also have a teeth brushing problems at night although he cleans them religously every morning. He just won't do them at night unless you stand over him!

[call me jaded]

Me again with another totally off the wall suggestion.

 

He could be sensitive to sodium laureth sulphate (or sodium lauryl sulphate) which is in most bath and shower products. We go to the health food shop and buy a litre sized pump of SLS free product for slightly over �5. Currently using Jason's mango scented which is lovely.

 

Rosemary Waring has done some research which shows sulphur metabolism is malfunctioning in people with autism. The recommended intervention for this is Epsom Salts in the bath. My son always asks for this in his bath. Under a �1 for tub from the chemist. Boots do half kilos which is more cost effective, if you can get there before the rose growers.

 

I've no idea if the two are related. SLS is in toothpaste too, I think.

Edited June 24, 2005 by call me jaded

[Tally]

What about washing with just water? It might not be ideal, but it'd be a step in the right direction.

[bluejean-genie]

Thank you 'call me jaded' and 'Tally' for your replies.

it seems the problem is not just the soap but the feeling of his skin being wet?? He did use to have a bath when younger so maybe it is a sensory thing since hitting puberty??

[Zemanski]

Com will only shower now - wetness is definitely an issue but he does do swimming pools and will shower on the way out