Hair Care and Bath-time Tools for Toddlers with Sensory Struggles

Hair washing and bath time can be overloading for a child with sensory struggles.

Here are some tip tools and strategies items that may be of help.

Tips for managing hair care and Bath time sensory needs:

1. Observe your child and investigate the root cause to determine what the biggest sensory issue.

2. Make bath-time fun and integrate fun bath-time games.

3. Re-assess how often you are washing your childs hair. Children typically need to have their hair washed 2-3x week with exception to medical condition in which your doctor has provided with a clear protocol. At time you can also use a dry shampoo when in a rush.

4. In rush for the day you can skip traditional hair washing and use dry shampoo if not contraindicated by a medical professional.

5. Allow your child to have more control during the bath-time activity. Give them the opportunity choose their hair products. Allow them smell shampoos and conditioners at the store and decide what they like or buy unscented. Let them comb and style their own hair.

6. Pick a low maintenance and quick set up hair style for your child. Allow your child to brush their own hair and explore use of a hair brush.

7. During hair brushing or washing. Provide your child with a fidget toy or a weighted lap pad or toy. Let them play Lego or watch TV or both. It won’t be easy for you to comb hair on a moving target, but it will be less stressful if they are less upset.

8. Focus on increasing and integrating other sensory activities prior to the bathtime experience: such as integrating sensory play, heavy and sensory input prior to bathtime. For children with tactile sensory aversions try integrate avoided tactile texture items into sensory play activities.

9. See some tools below and request more guidance from your Occupational Therapist on which items to choose from.

1. Splash Guard

2. Rinse Cup

3. Wet Brush and Dry Shampoo

Bath Time Toys

Bubble Bath Manually Maker for Bathtub 

Toys Set with Fishing Net

Bath Time Puzzles

Tactile Sensory Activities for Avoidance Behavior

Expose a child to tactile sensory experiences through play activities. Remember do not ever force a child during a sensory play activity rather make it fun for them, guiding them when child initiates play.

Spend a few extra minutes after bath time to vigorously rub the child with a towel, or guide them in doing so.

• Rub lotion or powder on the legs, hands, and arms while singing (for distraction purposes). Let them also rub the lotion or powder on you, especially if they won’t tolerate it on their own extremities.

• Pretend face washing or shaving- with different textures of cloth or towels.

• Use a variety of textured materials such as corduroy, fur, terry cloth, etc. and rub on your child’s back, arms and legs.

• Put textured mittens or puppets on child’s hands and let him or her take them off.

• Encourage your child to play in binds of sand, rice, beans or popcorn. Hide items and have the child locate them, guessing what they are while still covered. If your child won’t touch the textures, provide cups and shovels for play.

• Have the child roll up in a blanket or sheet, then play hot dog – press on mustard, relish, etc., and then have them roll out.

• Put shaving cream, lotion, or pudding on a large piece of aluminum foil and have the child draw a picture or write spelling words. Be sure to get both hands messy!

• Finger painting or body painting with water-based paints.

• Play in play dough or putty. Pulling, squeezing, rolling, etc.

• Draw numbers/letters on the child’s back, arms, lets, etc. and have him identify. You can make it a multiple choice or yes-no question – Is this a 2 or a 5?

• Provide activities that provide tactile input on the child’s entire body, such as a kid pool full of styrofoam, big soft pillows, or balls.

• Games with physical contact are good – bear hugs, piggyback rides, wrestling, back rubs, petting animals.

• Identifying objects with eyes closed – keys, comb, marble, block, coins, shapes, etc.

Tactile Sensory Activities:

https://www.therapyhealthwellness.com/blog-2/blog-post-title-two-wpaez

References to content above

https://drannezachry.com/blog-posts/activities-for-tactile-defensiveness/

https://www.thechaosandtheclutter.com/archives/hair-care-sensory-struggles

http://ceril.net/index.php/articles-in-english?id=441

https://thegeniusofplay.org/genius/expert-advice/articles/5-play-activities-that-promote-play-with-your-tactile-defensive-child.aspx#.YukrB-zMLAM