Managing Periods

Prepare your daughter well in advance of her starting her periods:

• Read books together about the changes to her body
• Familiarise your daughter with sanitary products - ensure your child knows how to open sanitary towels and place them in her pants correctly.
• If your child has difficulty doing this the first time, make sure you and your daughter practise this on a regular basis until she is confident.
• Some girls may benefit from opportunities to wear pads from time to time before starting their periods, to get used to the feel of the pad in her pants.

Talk about hygiene with your daughter including changing her pads every few hours, showering daily, washing her hands before and after going to the toilet.  Keep a bin in the toilet or bathroom for your daughter to dispose of her used pads.

When your daughter first starts her periods she may have accidents, or get blood on her hands, the floor or her clothes. Reassure your daughter that this is perfectly normal and most girls have the same difficulties when they are learning to manage their periods. Keeping a small pack of baby wipes with her sanitary pads will help with any clean up that is required.  A change of pants/trousers and fresh pads in her school bag may also be necessary.

If your daughter has difficulty with sequencing tasks or remembering the steps of a new task, step by step pictures can support the building of independence.  Keep the pictures next to the toilet and prompt your daughter to look at the next picture in the sequence rather than telling her what to do.

Help your child keep track of her periods by marking on a calendar when her period starts and ends. This will help your daughter learn to predict when her next period is due so that she is prepared and has pads with her.

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