Developing independence in dressing

Written By Ruby Watts
 
 
 

DEVELOPING INDEPENDENCE IN DRESSING

Developing dressing skills supports independence and participation in daily activities. Occupational Therapists can help the development of underlying skills to support your child to dress themselves. Dressing requires foundational skills such as fine and gross motor, bilateral coordination, body awareness, balance, postural control, and motor planning.

Physical skills include; The ability to grasp and manipulate clothing fasteners (buttons, zippers, snaps). As well as the ability to maintain balance and postural control whilst the arms reach to place clothing on.

Bilateral coordination and crossing the midline; Refers to the ability to coordinate both sides of the body (arms and legs) to dress and undress. Crossing the midline is reaching across the body for tasks like putting shoes or socks on.

Body awareness; Is the ability to understand body parts and their location. Identify head, arms, legs, and feet. As well as being able to recognise front and back, and left and right sides of the body and clothing items.  Imagine there is a line down the middle of the body and your left arm is reaching across your body to pull a sock on.

Motor planning; Is the ability to follow a logical sequence to put on and take clothing off. As well as the ability to plan and organise steps required for dressing independently. Such a placing on underwear before putting pants on.

Intervention strategies to try at home.

  • Start with undressing. Taking clothes off is much easier than putting them on.

  • Provide simplified clothing. Choose clothing with large, easy to manipulate fasteners for example Velcro instead of buttons and elastic waistbands. 

  • For motor planning and or body awareness challenges, lay the clothes out in order and direction. Ensure all the clothes are turned right side out.

  • Dress and undress in front of a mirror.

  • Play dress ups.

  • Teach that tags go at the back.

  • Allow enough time to practice so you do not have to rush. 

  • Complete dressing sitting down if the child has difficulty with balance and postural control. 

  • Break down steps into small, achievable steps. For example; pick up pants by waistband, lower pants and lift up leg, put left leg into pant hole, put right leg into pant hole, pull pants up to knees, stand and pull pants to waist.

  • Use visual cues, such as picture schedules or diagrams to illustrate the dressing sequence.

  • Use adaptive equipment such as caterpillar laces, button hooks or zipper pulls to support dressing. 

  • Engage in fine motor activities like squeezing playdough, using clothespins, buttons or snap chains and threading beads to strengthen hand muscles.

  • Offer frequent opportunities to practice and use the same verbal prompts consistently.

  • Set up an obstacle course with activities which encourage balance & standing on one leg.

  • Mimic putting clothes on e.g., picking up a small hula hoop with your left hand and moving it to your right arm, hiding an object in a zippered bag and playing relay races with bigger clothes. 

  • Play Simon Says, to encourage other physical skills such as  single leg balance, crossing the midline, finger isolation, body awareness and other activities related to dressing (stand on one leg, star jumps, point to your nose, touch your right hand to your left knee….)


References:

Autism Little Learners. (2023). Getting Dressed Clipart Visual Sequence. Retrieved from; https://autismlittlelearners.com/getting-dressed-clipart/

Children At Play. (2021). OT Dressing Tips Tricks And Fun Ways To Practice! Retrieved from; https://www.childrenatplayannapolis.com/blogchildrenatplayot/2021/2/15/ot-dressing-tips-tricks-and-fun-ways-to-practice

Kids Sense. (2023). Dressing: Zip it, Tie it Down and Button Up! Retrieved from; https://childdevelopment.com.au/blog/dressing-zip-tie-button/

Raising Children. (2006-2023). Suitable for 1-5 years. Teaching your child how to get dressed. Retrieved from https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/dressing/how-to-getdressed#:~:text=You%20can%20start%20to%20include,loose%2C%20elastic%2Dwaisted%20pants

Your Therapy Source. (2020). DRESSING SKILLS, PEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

GROSS MOTOR SKILLS AND INDEPENDENT DRESSING. Retrieved from , https://www.yourtherapysource.com/blog1/2020/04/19/gross-motor-skills-and-getting-dressed/

 
Ruby Watts
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