Developing a Toothbrushing Visual Pedagogy (TBVP) for Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Developmental Psychology
• Special Education

Background:

• Visual pedagogy and social stories are established tools for teaching skills to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• Effective oral hygiene practices, such as toothbrushing, can be challenging for children with ASD to learn independently.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel toothbrushing visual pedagogy (TBVP) tailored for children with ASD.
• To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the TBVP in improving toothbrushing skills.

Main Methods:

• A TBVP was created, comprising 13 steps with detailed scripts for toothbrushing technique.
• Feasibility was assessed by a review panel evaluating the TBVP against existing social stories.
• Effectiveness was tested on 119 preschool children with ASD, with follow-ups at 3 and 6 months.

Main Results:

• The review panel provided feedback, indicating the feasibility of the TBVP.
• Children with ASD demonstrated significant improvements in toothbrushing skills at both 3-month and 6-month follow-ups.
• The TBVP was found to be a viable educational intervention.

Conclusions:

• The developed toothbrushing visual pedagogy (TBVP) is a feasible and effective educational tool.
• TBVP assists children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in acquiring essential toothbrushing skills.
• This intervention holds promise for improving oral health in children with ASD.