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How Can I Get My 5yo , Non Verbal Autistc Son To Brush His Teeth?

A MyAutismTeam Member asked a question 💭
Chilliwack, BC

How can I get my 5yo autistic son to brush his teeth? He's completely non verbal, and he just bites the toothbrush, if I can even get it in his mouth. I've tried vibrating toothbrushes, the tooth brush song, and brushing mine at the same time, but he just won't let me. He will chew on the toothbrush when he has it himself, but only if it seems like no one is watching, and then he scrubs the floor with it. Does anybody have any suggestions?

September 12, 2016
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A MyAutismTeam Member

You can try "backwards chaining" to teach him how to brush. Basically, list out all of the steps it takes to brush teeth, and I'd add visuals to each step as well. Let's say you come up with 10 steps to brushing teeth. So then you do everything for him from step 1-9, and focus on having him learn the last step, step 10. Once he has that down, then you work on step 9, and he does step 10 on his own because he was able successfully get that step down; and so on for step 8, etc. The only opportunity he gets to do it by himself is that step you're working on and any steps he's accomplished. Good luck!

September 12, 2016
A MyAutismTeam Member

Finger toothbrush.......you may get bitten a few times but worth a try!!

September 28, 2017
A MyAutismTeam Member

I'm thinking of trying one of those three sided brushes to 1) clean my sons teeth better and 2) speed up the process. I see them all over the Internet...https://www.amazon.com/Surround®-Toothbrush

September 21, 2016
A MyAutismTeam Member

tooth brush song by story bots helped mine

September 19, 2016
A MyAutismTeam Member

Great ideas, thank you!

September 13, 2016

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