Dressing and Grooming Your Special Needs Child to Make the Best Impression
Some caretakers are overworked, others are the parents that are constantly tending to the child, but no matter the situation, never take the attitude that how a special needs child dresses or looks doesn’t matter, because they have worse concerns. No matter what the handicap of the person, they deserve to look their best.
Good grooming is something everyone should practice but it can be a little difficult when it comes to special needs children. For one thing, many special needs kids and adults will give their caretaker a hard time when it comes to dressing. A bad experience while wearing a favorite shirt, for instance, can cause the child not to ever wear that shirt again. Nothing you say or do will make him/her put it on, and sometimes, you don’t even know why they’re resisting.
For some special needs persons, everything is about the day of the week or a particular color. Some won’t wear a certain color unless it’s on Tuesday. Others won’t wear white shoes if they don’t have on their blue shirt. It’s a complicated thing that takes place only in the mind of the special needs person, but the caretaker must learn to deal with it. Getting to know the child is really the only way to understand him/her and be able to help them dress the best they can.
If you can, dress your child in today’s fashions. Fashion takes a broad range, so stay on the side of neat and tidy fashion, rather than too-large pants that show the child’s underwear or spiked hairdos with glaring makeup, nose rings or tattoos.
Some people simply don’t have money for designer duds but that’s okay. Just make sure your child is dressed the best he or she can for that day. Check clothing to make sure there are no stains or rips. Wash shoes and keep them clean – don’t allow the child to wear dirty shoes, clothing or other items. Even if you can’t afford new clothing for the child, there’s no reason why the clothing he or she does own shouldn’t be clean. Cleanliness is the main concern when it comes to how anyone appears to others. The smartest person in the world can look like a bum if he’s wearing dirty clothes and has greasy hair.
Make sure the child is bathed everyday. Washing hair, clipping nails and brushing teeth should be part of everyone’s daily routine, whether handicapped or not. Pull stringy hair back into a ponytail, bun or hair clip. Use mousse or hair spray to keep hair neat and tidy.
If clothes, shoes, hair, teeth and nails are clean and groomed, people will accept them quicker than if they are dirty or unkempt. It is difficult to keep a special needs child groomed, but make the effort everyday. If the child is difficult in the morning, let him or her choose their outfit the night before (if they are able). Let them point to a choice of shirts, pants, etc. Lay them out and allow the child to choose. This will often eliminate the first-thing-in-the-morning battles.
If your special needs child drools, as some do, keep a bib on him or her at all times. Do not allow them to drool on their clothing. Change the bib often throughout the day, as you would for a baby. If your child has nervous issues, such as always putting his hands up to his face, it might be possible to break the habit by allowing him to hold a stuffed animal or another toy.
If your child needs a wheelchair, and he or she tends to slump over, invest in a chair that has the neck and head support. Don’t allow the child to sit, hours on end, slumped forward with head dropped and mouth hanging open. Prop him/her up and use belts to support, if need be. This is more than just an appearance issue, it’s also a question of posture, which affects the health of the child as well.
And, just because your child is in a wheelchair doesn’t mean he or she should be constantly in their pajamas and slippers. If you’re going out, consider dressing him or her nicely for the day rather than just taking them directly from bed to wheelchair. Yes, it’s extra aggravation but consider how you would feel if you were incapacitated. Would you want to be clean? Dressed nicely? Sure you would. If your child can’t express these feelings, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t care how he looks. And if your child is beyond being able to notice or care how he or she looks, then the responsibility falls on the caretaker to make sure the child is well groomed.
There are always going to be rude people that stare, point, giggle, or cringe, and there’s not much you can do about that. But, you can take steps to make sure your child is well groomed at all times, clean and neat everyday, and looking as good as possible.
