Building independence, one everyday skill at a time
Daily Living Skills Training for Autistic Children in Lagos
Dressing, feeding, hygiene, toileting, and the everyday routines that build real independence — taught step by step, in your own home.
Book a SessionIndependence in daily life is one of the most meaningful goals a family can have for their autistic child. Activities of Daily Living (ADL) training breaks down everyday self-care tasks — dressing, feeding, washing, toileting, and social routines — into clear, teachable steps, taught consistently in the home where your child actually needs to use them.
What Is Daily Living Skills?
ADL training uses task analysis — breaking a skill like 'getting dressed' into its smallest component steps — combined with prompting, positive reinforcement, and visual supports to teach each step systematically. Our specialists work directly in your home, using your child's actual clothes, bathroom, and mealtime routines, so skills transfer immediately to real life rather than staying confined to a therapy room.
Signs Your Child May Benefit
- Cannot dress or undress independently for their age
- Relies fully on caregivers for feeding
- Not yet toilet trained beyond the expected age
- Resists or struggles with brushing teeth or washing
- Difficulty following multi-step daily routines
- Frustration or meltdowns during self-care tasks
- Limited motivation to attempt tasks independently
Session Length
45–90 minutes
Frequency
2–4 sessions per week
Age Range
1–9 years
Benefits of Daily Living Skills
Real Independence
Builds the specific self-care skills your child needs to participate fully in family and school life.
Reduced Caregiver Burden
As skills transfer, daily routines become faster and less stressful for the whole family.
Toilet Training
Structured, evidence-based toilet training programmes adapted to your child's individual signals and pace.
Confidence Building
Mastering self-care tasks builds genuine pride and motivation that extends to other areas of learning.
Consistent Routines
Visual schedules and consistent steps reduce anxiety around daily transitions and routines.
Family Coaching
Caregivers are trained to maintain consistent prompting and reinforcement strategies between sessions.
What to Expect
Your specialist assesses your child's current self-care abilities and identifies the highest-priority skills to target first. Each skill is broken into small steps and taught using visual supports, physical or verbal prompting, and reinforcement — gradually fading support as your child masters each step. Sessions happen during real daily routines (mealtimes, bath time, dressing) so progress is immediately functional. Parents receive clear, written step-by-step guides to maintain consistency outside of sessions.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age should toilet training start for an autistic child?+
There is no fixed age — readiness depends on physical, communication, and behavioural signs rather than age alone. Many autistic children benefit from starting structured toilet training between ages 3 and 5, though some start later. Our specialists assess readiness signs and design an individualised plan rather than following a generic timeline.
My child refuses to wear certain clothes — can ADL training help?+
Yes. Clothing refusal is often related to sensory sensitivity rather than simple defiance. ADL training incorporates gradual sensory desensitisation alongside dressing skill-building, addressing both the sensory and the skill components together.
How long does it take to teach a new self-care skill?+
It varies significantly by skill and child — some skills, like using a spoon, may take a few weeks; toilet training often takes 1–3 months of consistent practice. Complex multi-step routines like full independent dressing may take 3–6 months. We track data every session so you always know exactly where your child stands.
Do you work on feeding and picky eating too?+
Yes. Feeding therapy is a core part of our ADL training — covering both the mechanical skill of self-feeding and addressing selective eating or food sensitivity, often in coordination with our occupational therapy team where sensory factors are involved.
Can this be combined with ABA therapy?+
Absolutely — many families combine ADL training with ABA therapy, since ABA's structured teaching methods and ADL's daily living focus reinforce each other well. Our team coordinates goals across both to avoid duplication and maximise progress.
Ready to Get Started?
Speak with our team to discuss daily living skillsfor your child — we'll come to you, anywhere in Lagos.