Living Life To Its Fullest

The nation celebrates our independence in a few days.  At Child and Family Development, however, we celebrate independence each and every day!  As children gain more and more independence with daily tasks, they further develop their cognition, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, coordiantion, and self-esteem.  Independence for daily living does not come naturally for all children, especially children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, congenital disorders, or other childhood diseases.

Whether your child is "typically developing" or has special needs, one of the best ways to boost your his or her development is to allow him or her the opportunity to explore independence.  Parents frequently tell me that they didn't know it was age-appropriate for their child to be playing with markers, be getting dressed independently, or be brushing his or her own teeth.  Below is a sampling of self-care tasks and the age range when your child should be able to complete each task (or, more specifically, when 90% of children are able to complete such a task).  Use this information to confidently promote your child's independence!

Spoon use: 2 - 2.5 years
Pours liquids: 5 - 5.5 years
Brushes teeth (not thoroughly): 2.5 - 3 years
Brushes hair: 3.5 - 4 years
Washes hands thoroughly: 4 - 4.5 years
Tries to wash body: 1.5 - 2 years
Buttons: 5 - 5.5 years
Removes socks and shoes: 2 - 2.5 years
Puts on shoes: 3 - 3.5 years
Ties shoelaces: 6.5 - 7 years
Wipes self thoroughly after toileting: 6 - 6.5 years

If you have concerns about your child's independence with self-care tasks, you can seek advice or evaluation from a Child and Family Development Occupational Therapist.

Happy 4th of July!