Personal Hygene issues | Autism PDD

Question - for those of you with older kids with hygeine issues, was this always an issue?  Were they compliant as youngsters and then all of a sudden decided they didn't want to do these things, or has it been a battle from the get go?

My son is the opposite.  He will stand in the shower forever, shampoo his hair completely, lather up his entire body with soap (or shaving cream, or my expensive conditioner, or whatever is handy).  He brushes teeth like a champ.  Dresses self, takes off clothes if dirty and puts on new ones.  Very neat and tidy for the most part (but not obsessive).

Should I expect this to dramatically change at some point?  Or is the fact that he's fastidious now indicate that he'll likely remain so?

Quinn will go into the shower when told ...but if I'm not in there making sure that he shampoos his hair and uses soap...unfortunately he wont do either. My son  has always been like this. Hates his hair being washed, but loves to pour out shampoo, conditioner, anything that is liquid. We have to hide our stuff when he is in the bathroom. Luckily, I don't have this issue with Don - he really enjoys the shower.
However, my parents had a terrible time with me. I attended an on-base
school for children of military parents in grades 5 and 6, and, being
military, we were graded on hygiene - I got a D!!!

I STILL hate showering (although I do it of course). For me, it's a definite
sensory thing. I get a bit anxious even thinking about it, that's how bad it
is.

Things that helped get me reasonably clean on a regular basis were:

- accepting that I wasn't going to shower everyday, and instead
scheduling it, where say, I HAD to shower on a set night, at least twice a
week initially, then three times a week. There was a scheduled time and
everything, so it was just a set task.

- my parents bought me nice bath stuff, candles, and so on, and
encouraged me to have a nice long soak in the tub with a book once a
week. I liked baths, and it was a nice way to get away from all the other
people in the house (siblings) and find some quiet relaxing time. If I'd
showered without fussing through the week, I got to have this nice quiet
bath while my sisters did the dishes that night For a boy, instead of
fancy bath stuff and candles, maybe some trendy body wash and
deoderant (like the Axe stuff)? Nice aftershave and cologne? Get him to
pick it out, to be sure it's a scent he likes.

brushing teeth and hair were slower in coming than bathing for me. I had
long, thick hair, and a sensitive scalp, so I hated having it brushed. Until I
was washing and rinsing my hair properly (at about age 15 or 16), my dad
would wash it in the sink once a week, then thoroughly comb through it
to get out any knots (he was gentler than my mom, who'd get impatient
and just yank through - ouch!). Also, all three of us girls, in the evening,
when watching TV with the family, would have to have our hairbrushes
with us, and brush 100 strokes every night. I thought it was stupid at
first, but was a bit more motivated when I saw my sisters looking nice,
and having friends, and there I was being teased...Brushing teeth twice a
day every day came when boys came into the picture. When there's a
chance of smooching some boy, no matter how socially inept you are, you
don't want to have bad breath!!!

Hope some of that helps!We are dealing with the same issues here, my 12 year old aspie likes to shower, but not wash up. Good Luck 

Thanks for all the advice. 

I have tried threats, bribary, constant reminders.  Last nite I stood outside the shower and made sure that he took a shower.  If I do that he actually used water and soap..  I know it is a battle that I hope won't last too long

This is a very common problem.  My son has just turned 9, and while we have our battles about self-care, at least I can still do it for him.  When he gets closer to puberty, it will be a different story.

Here are my online puberty resources.  Not all of them are relevant to your question, but there's a social story about deodorant and probably some other stuff on self-care.  I have other sample social stories about personal hygiene if you think that approach might work.  Just let me know.

Good luck with everything.

***

General:  

1)  Here's a good manual created for those who work with Deaf-Blind kids, who also have learning issues and perseverative behaviors similar to autistic kids. 

Sexuality:

 

I don't know what to do with my son Jacob. He is 12 years old with ASD, ADHD & OCD.  He acts immature for his age.  I fight with him EVERYDAY to use personal hygene.  He argues with me.  It seems like whenever I want him to do something I talk in a foreign language. He smart mouths me or basically ignores me.  I am worried about the future.  The good point is that he is finally on the right meds and he is stabilized, moods and hyperactivity.  Its just that I don't know how to get him to take pride in himself with personal hygene.  I put a checklist in the bathroom and he either ignores it or tears it down.  Can anyone help me????

I have a fifteen year old whom I am having some of the same issues with.  He is not dx'd ASD, but he is NVLD, and major depressive disorder so he is close.  LOL  I can say that as your son gets older and takes an interest in the opposite sex some of it will get a little better.  Other than that, be consistent, don't give up and make sure you set good examples for him (as I'm sure you do

If I come up with  a solution I will let you know.   

 

I dont have boys but know some teen boys that are aspergers~15 & 16...once they started liking a girl they cleaned up:)  The parents tried bribery, counseling .. the whole nine yards but they were so stubborn!

I have heard of mothers putting out a medicine cup or 2 of shampoo before the shower, to ensure the right amount of shampoo is used.  Then you can also tell if the child used it (presuming they don't dump it down the drain...)

 

WE have major battles getting Sam 10 to wash. I think its sensory, but
then
when we do get him into the shower or bath, then we can't get him out.
He
doesn't actually wash or anything, but he'll run us out of hot water every
time, unless we stand over him. The combination of toileting issues and
reluctance to wash is a bad combo. Sometimes he will wash his body, he
prefers liquid soap to bar soap, but he really needs to be told wash your
face, now your arms etc etc. He has occasionally shampoo'd his own hair
without standover tactics, but used up every bottle in the bathroom, one
after the other! He loves to rub a wet bath with soap, and slide
back and forth in the tub, getting all slimey. Then he won't rinse off! He
also loves to wallow in mud. I wouldn't mind this so much if it wasn't for
the fact that he always soils at the same time I have written washing
instructions on the tiles with white board marker, and told him to rub
them out as he does them, but that only worked once or twice. We've also
hung laminated instructions in the shower too. One day he's hyper
modest, the next he's beastly careless.
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