Self-Help

New people, staff or strangers are NOT allowed to change MichaelAnn's brief, bathe or dress her.
  • We are trying to build in a sense of privacy for her.  With so many aides & people in her life it is extremely important she learn that people she just meets do not do private things with her.
  • Sherry or Greg will let you know when you can do these things.
 
Dressing
  • Let her choose the outfit.
    • Have 2 outfits out for her to choose from.
 
  • Shirts/Dresses/Over-the-head items
    • Put over her head first.
    • Put hand in left arm hole.
    • Tell MichaelAnn to "push", she will push her arm through the hole.  May have to tell her to push a few times, be patient.
    • Repeat other arm.
 
  • Coat
    • Put in her right arm first.
    • You will probably have to put your hand in the arm sleeve and grab her hand/arm to pull it through the sleeve.
 
  • Pants/shorts
    • Usually she will lie down to put pants on.
    • Start one leg in pant leg.
    • Tell MichaelAnn to "push".  May have to tell her to push a few times, be patient.
    • MichaelAnn may give you her other leg without you asking her.  Praise her for doing this on her own.
    • Repeat for other leg.
    • Depending on circumstance, you can have her stand to finish pulling them up or have her roll side to side until you get them pulled up.
 
  • Dresses
    • MichaelAnn will wear underwear over her brief/diaper when she wears a dress.
 
  • Undressing
    • Lift top over her head from the bottom.
    • She will hold her arms up - if not, tell her to hold her arms up.
    • Pants - she usually lies down so you can take them off.
 
Tooth Brushing
  • MichaelAnn uses an electric toothbrush.
  • Use a small amount of toothpaste because she does not spit it out.
  • Show her the toothbrush and tell her to "open wide".
  • Hold the toothbrush in front of her until she looks at it and opens wide.
  • Let her hold the toothbrush, if she doesn't want to hold it don't make a big deal about it, just brush her teeth.
  • She may want to brush her teeth by herself when you have "completed" brushing them.  That's okay!  You want her to be brushing her teeth independently.  Praise her!
  • When brushing her teeth she will stop a few times (close her mouth and/or turn her head), use this opportunity to rinse the toothbrush with water.
  • She will, most of the time, open her mouth again.  NEVER force the toothbrush into her mouth.
  • MichaelAnn does tend to bite the brush; just wait for her to open her mouth to move the brush.
    • We usually tell her that side of her mouth or those teeth are sparkling and we should make some others sparkle.
 
Hair Combing
  • MichaelAnn does like her hair brushed if not tangled.  When her hair was long she wasn't to fond of getting her hair brushed.
  • If dry -- spray her hair with water.  Cover her face with your hand.  Spraying is the worse part for her, especially if you get her face wet.
  • Brush slow on scalp, hold hair if knots so as not to pull her hair.
  • Use the wide tooth comb to get the snarls out.  Then use the brush.  She likes her hair brushed.
  • Then style.
  • If you take longer than she expects she will get upset.

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