6yr old with aversion to Clothes

Savvy_Sue

Liquorice_Twirls wrote:

we've just come to accept this is how he is. If he didn't like spicy food we wouldn't serve him curry all the time just so he would get used to it. Accepting that he was like this took the stress out of the situation. Everyone is different and maybe these little differences make us who we are.

That sounds like sense!

But having said that, I know you don't want your daughter labelled, but a) she is already labelled because of her eyesight and b) it may help!

You can probably see that the eyesight label makes sense: she can't see as well as most children, so some things have to be different for her. Now, can you make the leap to the other areas she's struggling with?

My eldest has mild Asperger's. The way I look at it is this: his brain lacks some of the 'wiring' that other people have. There is some emotional stuff that he just can't do. I can either agonise over his differences, or accept them.

We didn't get his label until he was was 12, through the school doctor, although I think something was suspected even at nursery. Once I had the label, so many things made sense! And some things would have been a lot easier, if I hadn't been trying to 'make' him 'normal'!

wonderfullife_2

Hi
My 9yr son is autistic, he either loves or hates some materials, he's very tactile, he touches and smells everything first and he's always had an aversion to socks, its like torture for him, but I don't think its the material, he just doesn't like the way they fit, so we buy him bigger ones, so that they slip on easily. As for getting him new shoes, its like we're murdering him.
And forget him going to the barbers, they won't cut his hair anymore because of the fuss and crying he makes, so we bought an electric razor, and now finally he's got use to it and doesn't make us feel like monsters.
So we have to find solutions to the problems that keep coming up, but there's a way round it usually, it just takes patience and perservence to find it and I guess some days are better than others, but I've found with Tom that the older he gets, the less problems he has, or perhaps we can cope better, who knows.
As for labelling, we went throught this to, but at the end of the day, that label has got him the excellent school that he goes to, with experienced, dedicated teachers who are the best, and who certaintly deserve all their money and more, and who give us and him all the support that we need and a school that Tom loves.

So I wish you and your daughter luck
.

Hope this helps

callyhall1978

Hi

My children used to have various strange and naughty behaviours, until I found out they were allergic to sodium benzoate, I had already tried to cut down on additives but didn't even realise this was an additive. Within a week the behaviour changed and now they are both very good at knowing what they can and cannot eat, one of my children has eczema and the other has asthma.

Might be worth a try!!

flufff

eczema and asthma can be affected by milk products.Try him on wysoy which is soya milk instead of cows milk.Another option is goats milk if available.Take him doctors they can refer you to a dietician to advise or do patch tests which is basically a small scratch on skin and the food dabbed on.If a rash appears then hes allergic not to be done at home.Other suggestions are not to use fabric conditioner.Use soap flakes instead of detergents,rinse well.It may be detergents worsening eczema.Choose only 100% cotton fabrics to allow his skin to breathe,possibly let him choose some of his own clothing.

Brenny

Hi

I am the grandmother referred to in one of the first posts, and I started a thread on my DGG not wearing pants, socks, jumpers with sleeves in, etc. etc. She has been diagnosed as being on Autistic Spectrum, and has recently been refusing to go to school after having a new teacher (her mum actually got her there for the first time since half-term today :j ). Amongst my replies was a personal message from another sufferer of Aspergers who said that she had lost count of the number of times that she had got a skin infection from scratching herself after being irritated by clothing. So I think the main thing to realise is that this is a REAL condition and not one that is just behavioural - sorry to those of you who don't believe it but after having my DD who was "different" from one month old, I know! The bits of advice I was given was that pants from Matalon were the best for a mother whose daughter had similar problems (not managed to get there myself as yet, but have found that tights are tolerated, although usually only when they are worn at half mast! The post from the person suggesting desensitization is a good suggestion because somehow we must get them to conform in some way, if only for their own safety. Another suggestion was seamfree pants (not successful for me because it seems that the feel of anything between her legs is not welcome - hence the half mast fashion!) and socks, or wearing them inside out. Anyway, best of luck. And I do believe in labelling because my daughter (who is an undiagnosed sufferer) wasn't, and suffered terribly from the alternative label of naughty put on her. Maybe not much would have changed but it sure would have made it easier for me to deal with personally.

Best of luck and PM me if you want.

Brenny

cannyscot_2

Thanks

I am not against finding out what the problem is-re the labelling comment just that I have already had one "helpful" teacher label her incorrectly as dyspraxic with a view to dismissing her real and medical sight impairment.

Thank you for all your posts it seems there is so much to think about. I definately will be seeking further medical advice.