Mary Wrobel is a speech-language pathologist with more than twenty years of experience working with students who have autism and other disabilities. She wrote Taking Care of Myself to help teach students with disabilities the necessary information and skills they need to live safe, healthy lives as independently as they are physically and mentally capable of. Mary believes that by teaching these special young people self-care skills, we can instill personal safety and reduce confusion, fear, and the incidence of abuse.

Introduction
How to Use This Book
Addressing Communication and Language Needs
Using the Computer with this Curriculum
Getting Started with this Curriculum
Steps for Developing a Successful Program
Voice Output Devices

UNIT ONE: HYGIENE
Teaching Hygiene
What's Dirty?
Washing My Hands
Taking Care of My Body
We Need to Take a Bath or Shower
I Can Take a Bath (sequence activity)
I Wash My Hair with Shampoo
I Can Take a Shower By Myself
We Brush Our Teeth
Sometimes I Need a Haircut
I Need to Comb and Brush My Hair
Blowing My Nose
Picking My Nose
Alex Uses the Toilet
I Use the Bathroom at School
Using Toilet Paper
Hygiene Cards- Question/Answer Activity

UNIT TWO: HEALTH
Teaching Health
Being Healthy
Eating Fruits and Vegetables
I Sleep at Night
Sometimes I Feel Sick
I Feel Sick (repeated line story)
Sometimes I Have Pain
Going to the Doctor
Going to the Dentist
Wearing a Bandage
I Don't Touch Blood
Taking Medicine
Health Cards- Question/Answer Activity

UNIT THREE: MODESTY
Teaching Modesty
Being Naked
Where Can I Be Naked?
My Clothes Need to Stay On
Dressing Myself
My Private Areas
No Hands Down My Pants
People Need Privacy

UNIT FOUR: GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Teaching Growth and Development
Our Bodies are Growing and Changing: A story about female development
Our Bodies are Growing and Changing: A story about male development
I Need to Wear Deodorant
Wearing a Bra
Shaving My Face
Growth and Development Worksheets

UNIT FIVE: MENSTRUATION
Teaching Menstruation
Getting My Period
Blood Will Come
I Wear Pads in My Panties
Changing Pads (sequencing activity)
Creating a Bathroom Folder
(Students) Period
Sometimes I Have Cramps
My Period is Private

UNIT SIX: TOUCHING AND PERSONAL SAFETY
Teaching about Touching and Personal Safety
Sometimes People Touch You
Touching Others
Can We Touch? (Activity Booklet)
Where Can People Touch Me?- Activities for boys and girls
My Touching Rules (A personalized story)
Talking About Sex and Private Areas
I Don't Know Strangers
It's Not OK to Hurt Me
Personal Safety Cards (Question/Answer activity)
My Sentences About Touching (Worksheet)

UNIT SEVEN: MASTURBATION
Addressing Masturbation
Touching My Private Areas (A story for young students)
Touching Myself- Addressing Male Masturbation
Touching Myself- Addressing Female Masturbation
Having Erections
My Private Routine -Establishing a Schedule for Masturbation

Summary
References and Resources
About the Author

ADDITIONAL STORY
Using A Urinal