ASD teens - is lack of personal hygeine normal IYKWIM

[Gotabookaboutit]

As sleep thread my now 13yold Aspie is reluctant to wash/shower/bath - is this ASD or general teen behaviour ?

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

Has he always been bothered by water and washing? Is it a sensory thing? If not, I'd say 'normal' teenager behaviour, usually cured when they begin to notice the opposite sex, which may be a lot later than normal for an Aspie, I suppose!

[Gotabookaboutit]

lol No likes swimming, has always been a bit adverse to washing but has become really bad recently and hates washing his hair and lives 24/7 in this school polo and trousers - I have just managed to find some very similar Polos that ''feel' the same so that has helped. So actually some of it probably is sensory as he like sthe ''smell and feel of school clothes

[Gotabookaboutit]

lol - He has already told a giel he's too young for ''that sort of thing'' when she asked him to go to the cinema with him !

[issey6cats]

i woudnt worry too much at 13-15 couldnt get my aspie stepson into the bathroom without a big fuss and pointing out to him that he stank and his teeth were going green and should shower more than once a week, and had to wait till he was asleep and chuck his manky clothes into the washing machine now at 19 cant get into the bathroom cos hes in the shower for about an hour, spend most of the day cleaning his teaath and washing his hands

[MedusaIsHavingABadHairDay]

My Typical teen son was vile at that age...(and still is pretty disgusting tho he does shower every day..thanks to girls!) but my son with ASD is very clean. We built it into his routine step by step, as he needs a lot of help still. He HAS to wash in a certain order and so his teeth before his deodorant etc but he showers at the EXACT same time each day..:)