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Self-Care

Registered NDIS Provider

Self-Care Services

Occupational therapy plays a crucial role in helping children develop essential self-care skills that support their independence and participation in daily life. Our therapists at Ability Rehab provide tailored interventions to improve skills in areas such as dressing, feeding, toileting, and hygiene. Through targeted exercises, adaptive techniques, and assistive devices, we work closely with children and their families to practice these skills in real-life settings. The ultimate goal is to enhance each child’s quality of life and help them live as independently as possible.

Developmental Milestones for Self-Care Tasks

Self-care skills are an important part of development as they empower children to be independent and self-sufficient. They include the daily tasks that are required to participate in life activities. Children are expected to develop self-care skills throughout early childhood and beyond. In order to help you understand the expectations for self-care skill development, we have compiled a list of developmental milestones.

Dressing

Typical dressing development occurs between 1 year to 7 years of age. Dressing skills are an important part of school readiness. Before starting school, children should be able to do most dressing independently (apart from doing zippers, small buttons or shoelaces).

Age Skill Developed
By 12 months
  • Cooperates with dressing by putting arm or leg out
1-2 years
  • Tolerates nappy changes
  • Removes socks and shoes
  • Can put on and take off the loose-fitting hat
  • Pushes arms and legs through sleeves or pant legs
2-3 years
  • Unbuttons large buttons
  • Helps to take off pants and shirt
3-4 years
  • Able to complete main parts of getting dressed
  • Able to get undressed independently
  • Requires assistance with laces, buttons, zips etc.
4-5 years
  • Chooses weather-appropriate clothes
  • Zips a zipper
5-6 years
  • Dresses independently
  • Puts shoes on correct feet
  • Able to tie shoelaces (although many children wear Velcro shoes instead)
Feeding

Typical feeding development occurs between birth to 3 years and can vary depending on the rate of a child’s physical and cognitive development.

Age Skill Developed
0-3 months
  • Sucks and swallows well
  • Coordinated suck, swallow and breathing sequence
  •  Liquids only
3-6 months
  • Shows interest in food
  • Opens mouth for spoon
  • Begins to eat smooth pureed food
6-12 months
  • Tolerates a range of foods of different textures
  • Holds and drinks from a cup or bottle
  • Finger feeds themselves
  • Begins to drink from an open cup
1-2 years
  • Able to feed themselves with a spoon
  • Holds and drinks from an open cup
  • Able to distinguish between edible and inedible objects
  • Shows clear likes and dislikes of food
2-3 years
  • Able to feed themselves with utensils
  • Starts to serve themselves, may have some spills
  • Eats the same foods as the rest of the family
Toileting

Typical development of toileting skills occurs between ages 1-7 years. It is expected, that children are fully daytime toilet trained with no accidents by the time they start school.

Age Skill Developed
1-2 years
  • Lets you know when they need to use the toilet
  • Lets you know when they have wet or soiled their diaper
2-3 years
  • Uses toilet with assistance (e.g. Wiping and clothes)
  • Distinguishes between urination and bowel movements and names them correctly
  • Able to use the toilet during the day with few accidents
  • Needs reminders and/or diapers at night
3-4 years
  • Able to use the toilet during the day with no accidents
  • Able to use the toilet at night with no accidents for urination
  • Able to use the toilet at night with some accidents for bowel movements
  • May wear diapers at night
4-5 years
  • Has complete daytime control for both urination and bowel movements
  • May require reminders for toileting at night
5-7 years
  • Develops complete nighttime control for both urination and bowel movements
Hygiene

Hygiene relates to tasks such as showering, brushing your teeth and washing your hands. For children, these skills typically develop between 2-8 years of age.

Age Skill Developed
2-3 years
  • Uses a napkin to wipe face and hands
3-4 years
  • Can wash and dry own hands
  • Attempts to brush teeth
4-5 years
  • Able to wash most body parts independently except for their hair
5-6 years
  • Brushes teeth independently
6-8 years
  • Showers independently

How Ability Rehab Helps Develop Self-Care Skills

Our occupational therapists work with children to:

 

Make a Referral

If your child is struggling with self-care tasks such as dressing, feeding, toileting, or hygiene, contact Ability Rehab today. Our team is here to support your child’s growth and independence.

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