Daily Living Skills & Toilet Training

Emily BellaciAmanda Lewis

Dana Harris

Overview

What are life skills?Selecting a specific skill to teachBreaking skills down into smaller steps

Task analysis

Best teaching practices Teaching sequence (prompting) Reinforcement

Things to consider after learning the skillVideo example of teaching sequenceQuestions???

Introduction to Life Skills

What are life skills?

Goals of teaching life skills Increase independence Provide a means for individual to care for himself Enhance quality of life of individual and caretaker

Assessing current skills Self-Care Checklist What skills can the individual already do? Recognize skill deficits

Breaking up Complex Skills

Task AnalysisThis takes a complex skill and breaks it up into stepsEach step is a teachable behaviorBenefits

Smaller steps reduces frustrationConsistencyPromotes quicker learning

How to create a task analysisDo the skill yourself

Before You Begin…

Selecting a skillPrioritizing

Rank life skills in order of importanceConsider amount of time

Attainable One skill at a time

Consistency Incorporate into daily routineFollow task analysis Set aside a specific amount of timeJust do it! (vacation, illness)

TeachingUse simple instructions

What is a prompt? Any hint used to increase the chance of an accurate response You start with the least then work your way to the most Reset prompt level at each step of task analysis

Prompting Sequence1. Verbal (you say “get soap”)

2. Gesture (you point to soap)

3. Model (you put soap in your hands)

4. Physical Guidance (you guide individual to get soap; hand-over-hand prompt)

Positive Reinforcement

Reinforcer should: Increase the likelihood of the behavior Be individualized

Types: Social: praise, hugs, tickles, high-5 Material: toy, edible, favorite activity

When to reinforce Improvement, compliance, independence

When not to reinforce Problem behavior, needs excessive help

Other Important Information

Peer or Adult Model If you have one available, use them! It cannot hurt.

Here, there, everywhere (after they can do skill without help) Settings (bathing: all bathrooms in house, grandparents, hotel) Materials (bathing: different soap, shampoo bottles, nozzles) Persons (bathing: mom, dad, grandparents, siblings, babysitter)

Retaining the skill Known as “daily living” skills Must be practiced daily

Putting it All Together

InstructionTeaching individual steps

&Reinforcement

Potty Training

Agenda

How do I know if my child is ready?Setting a SchedulePotty RoutineCommon Problems and solutionsGeneralization

Ready, Set, GO!

Behaviorally Ready?Shows Awareness of Dirty DiapersPhysical AbilitiesComplianceAbility to hold urine

Diapers or Underwear?Clothing

Pre-requisite self help skills

Embedded Self-Help Skills

Dressing and UndressingWipingHandwashingTeach throughout the routine

Essential Components of Potty Training

Scheduled Sits on PottyIncreased LiquidsRewards

Time Based Sitting Schedule

Take child to potty based on set time schedule

Determining a scheduleHow often does the child go now?Stick to your schedule!

ChartTimer

Schedule’s Set, Now What?

Determine reinforcementCandy/Food

Use small pieces Favorite toy

Only allow access for a brief period of timeSocial praiseSPECIAL TREATS ONLY FOR POTTY!

FluidsFollow your schedule

What is the potty routine?Prompt child to communicate the need to go to the potty

Prompt to say word or phrase, prompt to get picture, prompt to do sign

Walk to bathroomUndress (separate task analysis)Sit on potty (5 minutes or until they void)Void on pottyWipeGet off of the pottyDress (separate task analysis)Flush potty

Fading the Time Schedule

Increase time between successesGive the child the opportunity to initiateUtilize alarms (Wet Stop)Provide a natural consequence for accidents

Common Problems

Difficulty getting child to sit on pottyReinforcement, Reinforcement, Reinforcement! Reinforce progress toward sitting on the potty

Play with items in bathroomGive instruction for next stepStop inappropriate behaviorsReinforce appropriate behaviors

Train in Multiple Settings

Start earlyContinue to implement scheduleCarry reinforcers

Don’t Fret the Set Backs

Identify possible reasonsContinue to implement strategies

May need to take a few steps backDon’t give up!

Recap

Determine readinessDetermine steps needed for the routineSet your scheduleChoose communication methodChoose your reinforcerGo for it!

Questions????