Self-care is a core occupation (daily activity) for children. Self-care is the ability of a child to perform and participate in skills to help him/herself.
- Feeding
- Dressing including manipulating buttons/zippers/snaps/buckles
- Bathing/Showering (washing body, washing hair, transitioning in/out of bathtub)
- Hair care (brushing hair, cutting hair)
- Teeth brushing (including dental hygiene)
- Handwashing
- Nail clipping
- Toileting (recognizing and indicating the need to go, ability to control, wiping)
- Sleep
An occupational therapist can help with developing strategies to adapt a self-care task (e.g. larger handles on a toothbrush for grasp), assist with development of skills (e.g. motor, attention) to increase performance, and collaborate with families to create strategies for self-care engagement (e.g. alternative ways to washing a child’s hair).