Parents of autistic children face countless challenges and
sometimes even the simplest of activities can be a major issue for them. One of these is helping their children keep
their teeth clean. Oral hygiene is
important to everyone but autistic children can be hypersensitive, feeling
tastes, smells and sensations much more acutely than other children. If getting children in general to clean their
teeth can be a struggle, getting autistic children to clean their teeth can be
a major battle. Fortunately there are
some useful tips to managing this situation and Fuzzy Brush Products can be a
big help.
Be prepared to start
small
Often in life, it’s better to accept a small win than to
fight a huge battle over a larger one.
Instead of trying to get a child to accept the strange texture of a
toothbrush and the taste of toothpaste and the action of cleaning teeth all in
one go, take the process one step at a time.
Start by encouraging your child to chew on a wet facecloth and, when
they are finished, give them a drink of water, if they’re still learning to
rinse and spit. Once they’ve accepted
that, then introduce toothpaste, (or a little fuzzy rock) with its minty
taste. Only once they’re comfortable
with that situation, move on to step two.
Give your child a
fuzzybrush, while you clean your teeth
A Fuzzy
Brush requires no water or toothpaste (coated with Xylitol – see below) and can
be moved in the mouth in the same way as the facecloth. All you’re doing
now is introducing a new texture. By modelling the behaviour yourself,
you’re showing that it is safe. You may wish to use a Fuzzy Brush
yourself so that you and your child are on an absolutely identical footing, you
can always clean your teeth with a regular toothbrush later.
About Xylitol
Fuzzy Brush
is coated with Xylitol, which is a sweet, white substance that looks and tastes
like sugar, but has 40% fewer calories than sucrose and is diabetic friendly.
Xylitol is organic and all natural.
Xylitol
fights tooth decay, protects tooth enamel, kills harmful bacteria in the mouth,
to leave your breath fresh and also promotes healthy gums. It’s
also vegan friendly for those who are concerned about ethical issues.
Case Study
We spoke to Ageno
Ochola who’s son is now 9 years old with severe autism and complex health needs
and he is 100% non verbal.
Ageno said
“Your product has been a Godsend to and my son.
It was so difficult to brush his teeth. I used to ask 2 of my neighbors at the
same time to come and help brush his teeth as I could not do so alone. Then
came a point when even 3 of us could no longer hold him down to brush his
teeth, he is now too strong with an epic strength. I can only describe him as
my "modern day Samson"!!
When I researched about chewable toothbrush
online, your product sounded just right. Day 1 & 2 my son did not really
accept it but on the 3rd day he was chewing on it and I sincerely knelt down
and prayed and thank God for finding your product and thanked your
company for inventing it!! It was traumatic for my son to be held
down for teeth brushing but I did not know any better and that your product
even existed. I wished then that someone, hospitals, dentists were aware of
this and can recommend it. In the end when I discovered it, I was the one
recommending the product to our dentist for her patients with disability. I
also do the same by word of mouth and through a parent/carer support group I
belong to (Parentsactive) where we generally share useful information and tips
on the health of our special needs children.”
Keep plugging away
every day
This is important with any hygiene practice, especially
anything which relates to children, and autistic children have a particular
need for familiarity and routine. Think
of riding a bicycle uphill, it may be tough work, but momentum helps keep you
going. If you stop, even for a moment,
you lose all the momentum you have developed and have to start again, not
exactly from scratch, but without that useful impulsion you worked so hard to
gain.
Make transitions
slowly and be prepared to backpedal
Fuzzy Brush was initially intended for occasional use eg: office workers on the go, traveling but more
recently we've noticed other applications, especially for use in extreme health
situations, such as Ageno’s son. If your
child likes to chew as we know many autistic children do, then this can be seen
as fun for them. Once they’ve shown that
they’ve become accustomed to using the fuzzybrush, which has the same texture
as a regular toothbrush, then you can try moving them on, if it doesn’t work,
continue fuzzybrush and wait a little longer before trying again.
You could also try another Fuzzy Brush Product - FuzzzyRock
which is in the form of crystal cool mint and bubblegum flavours. One piece
will kill the bacteria in their mouth and can be used on days when perhaps
stresses are high.
Finding the right dentist
Even with the best oral hygiene in the world, your child
still needs to become accustomed to visiting the dentist. This means that you have to find the best
dentist for their needs, taking into account factors such as travel time, which
may also be stressful for them. Given
that any child can pick up on their parents’ stress and that autistic children
are particularly sensitive to this, it helps enormously if you are completely
comfortable that you have made the right choice before you take your child
there. Ask friends, family, therapists -
anyone you know and trust for referrals, then go and check out your
shortlist. If you find a dentist who
seems suitable and friendly but whose premises are too harsh a sensory
environment for your child, then let them know.
They may be perfectly willing to make changes.