Dressing For Success

ADHD and Clothing Sensitivities

Is your ADHD child driven to distraction by ill-fitting socks and clothing tags? He may have a heightened sensitivity to clothing.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is among the most popular research topics in the field of learning disabilities today. Classified as a mental health complication, millions of children and teens live with the disorder in the United States alone. Pediatricians, neurologists, and other specialists search for a way to improve the quality of life for kids with ADHD while parents get to focus on the everyday minutiae of parenting children with this disorder.

Just to give you an idea of how this works, some children with ADHD are sensitive to certain types of clothing. This can be attributed to the heightened sensitivities experienced by ADHD children and adolescents. Clothing sensitivity can be seen in the need to micromanage the size and placement of a child’s socks, for example. A boy with ADHD can and will spend a quarter of an hour trying to make his socks yield the right fit. It helps to remember that it is the disorder—the ADHD—that is the driving force behind this picayune behavior.

Peer-Related Pressures

For teenagers, clothing sensitivity carries peer-related pressures. The trendiest clothing may not be wearable for a teen with clothing sensitivities. The problem may be tags, linings, or even specific dress materials. Your teen may experience a sensitivity to the stitching, or be bothered by the sensation of the cut or type of fabric in fashionable clothing.

For a parent accompanying a teenager on a shopping trip it can be very hard to pinpoint the exact nature of the difficulties experienced. That makes it a chore to steer children toward the clothing they can and will tolerate. We may also not be thrilled at the way the chosen (read comfortable) clothing looks on our children but may be forced to give in here and there to save everyone’s sanity: both parent and teen.

When your teenager with ADHD brings home new clothing items, check to make sure she’s made reasonable choices regarding fit, and then make sure to wash the clothing with laundry soap you know she can tolerate. This will remove any harsh manufacturing chemicals that might set off your child’s sensitivities.

A Biggie

The next step is to think about removing all tags related to care and branding. Clothing tags are a biggie when it comes to clothing sensitivities and the irritation can drive your ADHD teen to, well, distraction. If after you’ve done all of these things, your teen still complains about an item of clothing, it may be necessary to get rid of the offending article.

For some teens with ADHD, clothing sensitivities can worsen the symptoms of ADHD and it may be tough to spot your child’s clothing as the culprit. If you see your child having trouble with staying focused in class despite being on medication, think about removing his clothing tags or changing the way your child dresses. If you see an improvement after the fact, you’ll have proof that your child has a clothing sensitivity.

There isn’t a single facet of the ADHD teenager’s life that escapes the effects of this neurological condition. But you can make things a bit easier for your teen by choosing clothes that are not only stylish but decrease sensory irritation. If you make the effort in this area, you’ll see a benefit in your child’s schoolwork and begin to have a better experience when shopping with your child for clothes.

This post has been copied in its entirety with the kind permission of www.cognibeat.com and can be seen in it's entirety at http://community.cognibeat.com/2010/12/dressingforsuccess