5 Essential Daily Living Tasks Included:

✅ Bathroom Time
✅ Brushing Teeth
✅ Washing Hands
✅ Putting on a Shirt
✅ Putting on Pants

Why Task Analysis is Crucial for Daily Living Skills

Language delays aren’t the only challenge parents face when raising children with developmental delays. Many children with disabilities struggle with self-care skills or take longer to master them. Task analysis helps children learn these essential daily routines step by step, ensuring success and independence.

How Task Analysis Works in ABA Therapy

In Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), children are taught new skills by breaking each task into smaller, manageable steps. This step-by-step approach helps them master one component at a time before moving on to the next.

For example, the task of washing hands can be broken down as follows:
1️⃣ Turn on the water
2️⃣ Get soap
3️⃣ Rub hands together
4️⃣ Wash hands
5️⃣ Turn off the water
6️⃣ Dry hands

With the right task analysis guidance, children can become more independent in their daily routines. This visual and structured approach helps children:
✔ Follow step-by-step instructions easily
✔ Understand what comes next
✔ Reduce frustration and challenging behaviors
✔ Feel a sense of accomplishment

Task analysis is not only beneficial for children with autism, but also for those with ADHD, traumatic brain injury, dyslexia, and communicative disorders. It’s also a great learning tool for any child beginning to develop daily living skills.

Example: Using Task Analysis for Potty Training

One effective way to use task analysis for potty training is through visual schedules. When a child completes each step, the caregiver removes the corresponding picture to indicate progress. This method helps the child understand that a step is complete and what to expect next.

Making Potty Training Fun & Effective

💡 Tip: If the child becomes frustrated, motivate them by pointing to the reward at the end of the schedule—whether it’s their favorite toy, cookie, or book!

💡 Use the Right Prompt Hierarchy: If the child struggles with a step, apply the appropriate level of prompting to ensure success. Over time, reduce prompting to encourage independence.

💡 Celebrate Success! When your child completes each step, reward them with their favorite prize or simply cheer them on with a big "HURRAY!" 🎉

With task analysis and the Prompt Hierarchy system, daily living skills like potty training can become structured, rewarding, and successful!