In the Forum: What Am I Dealing With?
Getting your child dressed is one of those things that can so easily turn into a power struggle. Sometimes, kids are just testing, and you need to follow through on your demands -- but sometimes, there may be a problem like Dysfunction of Sensory Integration driving those clothing preferences, and then, overpowering your child's resistance to certain garments can cause even more problems. That's the struggle shared by a poster on the Parenting Special Needs Forum.
Writes Christian: "My daughter turned 2 in Jan. About a year ago we noticed her having a hard time dealing with the belt in her car seat and problems with pants and certain shirts. When I would put her pants on ... esp. jeans ... she would cry and pitch a fit saying 'they hurt ... please can I wear something else.' Well I didn't know if we were dealing with a temper tantrum or if something was wrong with her. I finally got rid of her jeans and she wore pants with elastic waist bands. Even then she would sometimes struggle with those. ... She can't stand to change out of her pajamas. She would wear them all day if she could. When we do change into our clothes for the day it usually ends up with me and her fighting over what she will wear. Of course, I make her wear what I have picked out, because i don't want her to think that she is the boss. I struggle to put her clothes on and she begins her fight. ... The more it goes on, the more I feel something's not right. I looked up Sensory Integration tonight and I am wondering if she might have that. If this looks familiar to anyone, please let me know. Is this a behavioral problem or a sensory problem???"
It sure looks like it could be a sensory integration problem to me. What do you think? Visit the forum, and join the conversation.
Image from the Parenting Special Needs Forum
Comments
12 year old Angela has HUGE issues with pants that don’t have elastic. I’m not sure exactly where the problem lies, but I know at least some of it has to do with lack of fine motor skills so she can’t be as independent with them. I have a post about choosing clothing on my blog…well, it started as something else and ENDS with stuff related to a child choosing thier clothes. LOL Sorry you’ll have to weed through the first part of the post first.
http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/2008/05/who-made-rule.html
Even reading the post on the forum, I could only go so far as to say she has sensory issues. How important is it to the parent to have a “diagnosis” or label? If it is useful to the parents, helps in any way that they define, the parents should be directed to an occupational therapist.
How very irritating it is to hear another physician refuse to help a parent and child - “wait and see if she outgrows it.” I could write a dissertation on how wrong that is.
There is a fair amount of information on the internet and suggestions/ideas for dealing with the behaviors she describes.