Changing pads regularly
Overview
This lesson aims to develop awareness of when a pad needs to be changed.
Foundation Knowledge for this lesson includes differentiation of male and female bodies; awareness of age and body differences between babies, children, adolescents, and adults; receptive identification of vagina; public and private body parts; receptive identification of sanitary pads, bin, toilet, and underpants; receptive identification of blood.
Generalisation ideas
- Role play ideas: use red food dye and pads to show when it is an appropriate time to change a pad.
- Visual cues: use visual cues throughout the day at opportune moments to go to the toilet to check pads.
- Other sanitary options: There are many choices for managing periods such as period underwear, tampons, and menstrual cups. Processes for checking and changing may differ with different products.
- Social stories: create a personalised social story reflecting the frequency of pad changing across a period for an individual.
- Consequences: how does it feel to wear a fresh pad? what should you do if you feel like you need to change a pad but it’s not a break time at school?
- Flipsides: what happens if you don’t change your pad on a heavy period day? How does it feel to wear a soiled pad?
- Who can you talk to?: create a list of at least two people in each setting (e.g. school, home) the student can go to if they need help with changing pads.