where can i get things to help ds learn some baic skills? how to do buttons etc?

[morethanyoubargainfor]

my ds is 8 and is due to start a new school in January for children with specific learnig difficulties. At the moment he is in a state primary and the uniform is polo shirt with sweat shirt over and any grey trousers. No real problem but at his new school he has a very strict uniform of shirt, blazer, tie, lots of different shoes with laces (football boots etc). The problem is he can not 'do' buttons or shoes laces, despite lots of attempts from us to teach him.

Where can i get a 3d shoe from with oversized laces to helpp him learn, he is unable to grasp it on his on shoes as they are small and he finds it very difficult to 'copy' IYKWIM.

Also is there anything about that can help him with buttons? he is ok with zips an di am hoping he will learn to do a tie up on his body.

Any help appreciated.

I use TAGteach to teach most stuff.
Look in the Youtube link box on the right for the video on tying shoelaces.

Also our discussion on PT (Precision Teaching) on Special Needs forum will be useful.

thanks for replies.

TPT thats exactly what i think! they also do alot of tem sports like rugby, football, hockey etc, i can't wait to see a game as a majority of the students there including my ds 'don't do' people in thier space!! .

I have tried those curly springy laces but we didn't find them to be a huge success. .

I am not overly worried about him mastering these things but i know ds will worry if the other children can do it and he can't.

You beat me to it theprofiterolethief with the velcro idea!

My ds cannot do buttons, he is 11yo. I buy the trousers with adjustable waist. For pulling trousers up and down (toileting etc) he simply pulls them without undoing zip/button because the elastic slides over his hips iyswim.

Can he use locklaces for football boots ? ds has only recently leanrt to do them (he's 12) but often doesn't get sufficent tension to keep them tied.

forgot to say i can't use the velcro as one ds won't be able to tolerate the 'feeling' or the 'noise' of the velcro. It is a brilliant idea but ds has sensory integratin dysfunction that affects all of his senses and he feels every item of clothing everyday and i strongly suspect he will complain about the buttons on his skin!

You can buy a tub of big buttons & laces for not very much at all from ELC (& I'm sure other retailers!).

those lock laces look brilliant, think i might order him some to try. Thanks LIZS

oh i didn't know that TPT, i will try to track some down and trial it on him!! Thanks

Another trick with buttons is to sew them on with shearing elastic (stretchy cotton). That means that cuffs never need to be undone as the extra elastic usually means they can get their arms out of their shirts without having to undo the buttons. It also gives them a 'fighting chance" with the shirt top button as they have more space to do that fiddly tight top button and it should make the other buttons easier. Plus there is no noise and the shirts look normal.
Good luck!

thanks GGT that sounds brilliant and i think ds woul dgo for that especially like you say on his cuffs and top button.

Now where would i get some of this shearing cotton?

I buy mine in a sewing shop or haberdashery department. It usually comes on a small thin reel.

has he had any OT help? our OT currently sees dd2 every week for self-help/ independence skills (buttons/ zips/ velcro etc)

they often let you borrow stuff to take home too - or does your local toy library have an sn section? we used to borrow a lot of aids from there - it's often free for sn too.

He hasn't had any inout from O/T apart from initial assessemnets, we were told then, 'they are allowed to diagnose but not treat as they don't have any funding for that '.

I hadn't thought about a toy library, i will look into that.

I have to sy he has the uniform now and he is so determined and has tried it on nearly everyday without much help from us, he is doing really well. It only takes him 30 mins now to get dressed and undressed . I am so proud of him for trying, he can't master his tie though for love nor money.

can you get one on elastic? dd1's school (juniors) still had them on elastic - i suspect for safety if nothing else

what were the recommendations on the ot report? does the new school have an ot on site?

well done ds though. dd2's consultant always said 'her determination will stand her in very good stead throughout her life.'

haven't had the report yet, it is taking the age of a pig to come though!!

School doesn't hav its own O/T but will have input from ours.

I have had to tell DS what determination meant as he said 'everyone keeps telling me i have it but what is it '.

He has done so well, i am so proud of him!

call the ot dept and ask when the report will be ready. a little nudge won't hurt.

that is very true MWINTA, i will do jut that today!