NorwayMom thanks We didn't have this in Adam's IEP. (he actually didn't have one a that age), however the private ot helped him with all of this, so I would say yes it would be the ot's job to teach him.
Here's the link to the IEP goal bank. The goals and subgoals for dressing skills begin on page 105.
http://www.bridges4kids.org/IEP/iep.goal.bank.pdf
My son learned how to zip up his jacket because his personal assistant worked on it every time she got him dressed for recess. So teachers and assistants can contribute to this goal, not just OT's.
Reading social stories and providing visual cues are also appropriate classroom interventions (for example if flushing is a matter of remembering, which it is for my son).
I recently found lots of songs, poems, tips, and a coloring page about tying shoes, which you might be interested in. Other forum members have listed books for teaching that skill. You can find it all here under this topic:
http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=18534&am p;KW=tying+shoes
Good luck with everything.
I'm not sure how to ask this for the IEP. My daughter is 6 yrs old and in first grade. She still can't button, zip, snap, flush the toilet, tie her shoe. Can I have this written into the IEP. So she can get help with buttons, zips, snaps, flush the toilet, tie her shoe. Would this be under OT and/or help skills? Can this be in the IEP? And can she get help for this by the school?I think it could be under both, but it would most likely be the OT doing it.
We got ds to be able to do the snapping and buttoning on a board, but he still has issues doing it on clothes he is wearing. Which OTs are a little skittish about helping with - it's just a little invasive, especially the fly area! They may feel differently about a girl - good luck on that!
Self-help can DEFINITELY be included on an IEP - and should be. This is an area which will definitely impede her academic process. If she spends all day in the bathroom trying to fasten clothes - well, she won't be learning much, will she? The school should help with this for sure. If they balk, get an advocate!
Amber - yes, you should be able to have these specific goals written into the IEP. There's a great goal bank in the links that NorwayMom recommends in "IEP Goals" thread here on the board - you can actually find those particular issues - buttoning, tying shoes, etc. laid out step by step in the goals.
With the exception of the "flush the toilet", those skills should fall under fine motor skills for work with an OT. They are also considered "self-help" skills.
In my son's case, we have the goals laid out with specific steps toward those goals, and the OT works on them, as well as the teachers incorporating those items into his overall classroom work.
Is the flushing of the toilet a sensory thing? A LOT of our kids have issues with the noise of the toilet (heck, my NT daughter can't stand a lot of the louder ones!). So, an OT may be able to help with that issue as well. Otherwise, if it is just remembering to do it - I would guess it would fall to the teachers. And yes, that would fall under self-help.
There used to be a great little picture schedule given out in every Kandoo wipes container for going potty. It showed a frog wiping, flushing, closing the lid, and washing hands. I had several and actually laminated it for my ds to take with him when he wasn't at home and gave the school one as well! You may want to check on-line at the Pampers website and see if they have any you can just print out. If I had any left I would mail them to you - but they were all tossed before our recent move...