Blog | Katie Stokes Occupational Therapy Geelong

Why does my child refuse to wear long pants ?
Why does my child refuse to wear long pants ?

It’s that time of year when the weather is getting colder, and we are transitioning to wearing long pants and jumpers. Well…most of us are, but for others it can be a really tough time. Has your child been refusing to wear long pants or long sleeves to school?

If this is the case your child may have some tactile sensory sensitivities. The way their brain interprets tactile information may be extra sensitive, and to them clothing may feel prickly or spiky. It can be difficult for us as parents to understand – to us the fabric feels smooth and soft. Throw in some time constraints, such as needing to leave the house in 5 minutes, and some anxiety about school, and the sensory sensitivities increase even higher.

So what can I do to help?

1. Keep calm – put yourself in your child’s shoes and, try to imagine how uncomfortable it must be for them.

2. Don’t Force –forcing your child to wear long pants or sleeves when they have sensory sensitivities can have a detrimental effect on their sensory system, making the situation more difficult. The more you push, the more stressed and dysregulated they become.

3. Allow extra time – allow plenty of time for dressing. Change around the sequence of tasks in the morning e.g. getting dressed before breakfast so the sensory stresses of dressing are not at the rushed end of the morning. Practice wearing long pants and sleeves during weekends when there are less time constraints.

4. Offer Choices – If your child feels like they have some control over what their body experiences, they may be more willing to try something. For example, give them two pairs of pants to choose from which may differ in fabric, style or size.

5. Clothing type – consider your child’s preferences. Do they prefer firm fitting clothing like leggings or straight leg pants? Or wider leg pants? Elastic waist or button up? Tags or no tags? Seams or no seams? Stretchy or non stretchy? These small details can make all the difference.

6. Wear something underneath – firm fitting clothing underneath a school uniform may provide deep pressure input which can calm the sensory system. This could be seamless singlets, bike pants or leggings.

7. Prepare the sensory systems – heavy work and deep pressure activities before getting dressed may help desensitise. Some ‘hand hugs’ or massages on the arms and legs, patting legs firmly and repeatedly (maybe to your child’s favourite song), dancing or star jumps might help.

If you have tried all of the above and are still finding things difficult, talk to your OT about some more individualised strategies.

Katie Stokes

Occupational Therapist

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