Can your AS/ ASD child recognise if he is hot?

[herdiegirl]

Sorry, hope the title makes sense!

DS1 has had a particularly bad day at school today. One of the TAs asked me to come in to school as he was refusing to leave the classroom. When I talked to his teacher, it transpires that he has done no work, refused to co-operate and only wrote notes to his teacher saying he hates her etc. (He loves his teacher really).

DS1 could give no reason why he was like this today. I thought i'd ask the teacher if there could be a sensory reason for his behaviour. She commented that it was really hot in the classroom today (she was struggling) and that DS1 refused to take his jumper off etc.

DH and I have also noticed that on other occasions e.g at parties he will be running around getting hot and sweaty and we'll suggest he stops and has a drink or whatever. He refuses this, plays harder and his behaviour deteriorates quickly.

I asked DS1 why he didn't remove his jumper when it was hot and he just said that he wasn't.

Does any one else experience this or understand it?

Sorry for the garbled post.

[Triggles]

Nope. He can't. Not hot or cold. His main TA & I discussed this at length recently, actually, as he gets really OTT in his behaviour when he is too warm or cold, but doesn't recognise that he is too warm or cold.

We've unfortunately just had to insist the jumper comes off if he's too warm, and try to distract him right away so he doesn't dwell on it. Initially he really fought it, but I think he somewhat recognises that taking off the jumper or putting it on makes him feel better, even if he doesn't understand why, so he has recently started being more cooperative - but we still have to monitor it closely, as he simply doesn't get it.

[amberlight]

haven't a clue if I'm hot, no. Never have, unless I've actually come close to fainting from it. I wear warm jumpers and sleep under thick duvets most of the year. Partly it's because the weight/feel of heavier things helps cancel out the sensory overload. Partly it's a routine thing because I get scared of things that are different.

A social story can help - pictures explaning what to do when it's hot, and explaining how hot it will be today and what time of day to take our jumper off.

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

I think it's common. My DS is 11 and on a hot day he's often the only child to come out of school still wearing his sweatshirt. He just doesn't feel hot but he does get very cold, needs a wetsuit on the beach, hates snow etc.

[blueShark]

DS refused to take his jacket when he started nursery at 3 and would wear it for 3 hours :( Its more a sensory thing as the others have suggested, you put it on and stays on until you get home and get changed...

DS now at 5 still at times doesnt cooperate with taking jumper off on a hot day but then few times I have been at school to take him to speech therapy or an appointments and have suggested he takes jumper off he does it immediately and TAs and teacher are amazed how he follows my directions and refuses with them

[blueShark]

forgot to add, I dont think DS doesnt differentiate hot from cold as he clearly does with water in bath, eating or drinking hot vs cold, but the clothes used to be in a way him dealing with the sensory issues...Its mine and I am not taking it off but some teachers are suggesting its a security thing in school.

[PersonalClown]

Ds doesn't register hot or cold either.
Just strips down to trousers or pants whatever the weather.

At least we've managed to stop that in public.

[herdiegirl]

Just wanted to add - I understand that some kids don't feel the heat, but if their body is hot, does their behaviour deteriorate? My Ds seems a lot more stubborn/ difficult if he is hot (sweaty, red face etc) even if he says he is not hot!

[herdiegirl]

Also forgot to say that we had a chat this evening - when he was a lot calmer. Explained that he may not realise he is hot and that if someone suggests (like parent or teacher) to remove his jumper, to follow their advice as they are trying to help Ds and he may feel better afterwards. Hope this may help things. I will also try to have another word with his teacher in the morning re the above.

[angelPeacock]

I too have noticed the lack of understanding in nearly all areas heat regognition.
my DS doesnt feel the cold, but also doesnt take coat/jumper off when its hot. He likes tight buttoned/zipped up clothing too, so getting him to unzip jackets, undo top buttons on shirts (his favourite clothing) etc is a nightmare.
but also saying that, he knows he doesnt like warm weather, he will stay inside with a coat on saying he his cold when were all outside in the garden sunbathing, and he doesnt sleep under his duvet at night becuase he doesnt like being warm (i have concluded).
so yes i agree that my ds at least doesnt regognise body temp and the appropriate action.
its only now that you have mentioned the link between this and the behaviour that i have thought and your probably right about this too. :) :(

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

My DSs behaviour certainly deteriorates in the cold. He hates it and fusses a lot about it. I can't say I've particularly noticed when he's hot, but we all feel a bit yucky if it's humid, so I wouldn't be surprised if unrecognised overheating causes poor behaviour.

[uninspired]

DS never has enough clothes on to get hot however he doesn't seem to feel cold and would wear shorts and t-shirt in the snow, in fact he has done.

[pramsgalore4]

my ds does not seem to feel the cold, won't wear a jumper for long or a coat and strips as soon as he gets chance, i think the neighbours think i don't bother getting him dressed, as they often see him at the window or next to me when i answer the door/put rubbish out in his pants . the other week he came home from school with in the few minutes it took to get his sister in the gate on her bike he appeared back outside with nothing on, wondered what my neighbour started laughing at good job he's only 5 and not 16

[Chundle]

My dd2 has no dx as yet other than sensory integration problems. She isn't yet 2 years old but will play in the snow happily with no gloves on for hours and will scream if I try to remove her jumper in hot weather.

[Triggles]

I also think part of the jumper thing for DS2 is that he wears one every day for school all winter, then when the weather warms up, he doesn't understand why he's not got one on. It's "part of the school uniform" now, as far as he is concerned, as he's been wearing it for awhile. So it's "expected" and thus it must be worn.

He has only now just started participating in non-uniform days (at the end of the school year LOL) as he didn't want to wear "regular clothes" to school.

So while he doesn't recognise the temperature changes, he also has a routine for his school uniform and doesn't like it to be upset at all.

[Claw3]

Ds is the opposite, he is oversensitive to hot, he says bath water 'burns his skin' and has to have luke warm baths, he wont eat hot food ie any cooked food.

My understanding is that it is sensory, there are over responsive and under responsive, my ds is over responsive.

However he too will not remove his jumper, not because he doesnt feel hot, but because he doesnt want his skin exposed, another sensory thing.

[bumblingbovine]

I have just been having this discussion with dh. Ds will play in the sprinkler in the garden on a not very warm day and when his friends are shivering and coming in he will not be botherered by the cold much and will carry on long past others have come in.

AND YET

I cannot get him to go to school without his jumper on at the moment. I think for ds though it is about having a polo neck tshiirt on as he has no problem taking his sweater off when we are at home if it is hot, though I generally have to suggest he does so.

Ds has always has an issue with not liking buttons on tops since he was a toddler. I didn't push the matter but regularly reminded him over the years that when he started big school that he would need to wear a tshirt with buttons which he accepted. When he started school he wore the polo shirt with no problem, but he does like being able to see the buttons so I thnk the jumper gives him security.

The other day on a hot day we got to school without a jumper on, as he had forgotten to put it on and I had deliberately not reminded him, but he almost had a meltdown when he arrived at school and remembered he wasn't wearing it. I didn't have it with me and he got though the day Ok but his behaviour was definitetly affected.

[herdiegirl]

Hi, went in to see his teacher quickly this morning, and concluded that the heat in the classroom may well be a part of his problems yesterday. Suggested to her that if the room is warm, to suggest to DS1 early on to remove his jumper before he has a chance to overheat as he is more likely to be compliant then! Will be collecting him from school shortly and am nervous if things have been ok today [sceptical].

[davidsotherhalf]

my dd didn't like removing jumpers etc in summer, she would get very upset and angry, we bought some cool pads that stick on forehead to cool her down quickly and she would calm down within minutes, she was allowed to use these at school as well, boots did there own make of cool strips.

[Calally]

ds doesnt recognise hot or cold either. in the house he would strip of and run about naked, hes 5. again unless someone actually takes his jumper of, he would carry on regardless. hes usually more compliant in school. his word of the moment is no, no is the answer for everything, even when he wants to do something. ds loves the snow, doesnt understand he needs to be wrapped up, refuses to wear hats n gloves. has been out, to the point where his hands are freezing, and hes refusing to come in. he knows when food and drink are hot n cold. weve had really warm weather here recently, and ds has wanted jumper n coat on when were going out, to warm with even a t shirt. so there have been plenty of tantrums lol. at night he will start with the duvet wrapped right round him till hes sweating, then will kick it off and lie there, then he'll be freezing.

[nadia77]

my ds recognises when he's hot and strips well trys to (he's 4) still cant take t shirts off unless quite big, he loves rain ,snow,can spend hours in the pool! he's a comfort creature likes to be warm when it's cold and cool when hot.

[herdiegirl]

Thanks for your replies. DS had a better day at school today. His teacher encouraged him to remove his jumper before he got too hot and he complied .

Really like the cooling strips for the forehead idea. Think I will get some in for emergencies!

[MarioandLuigi]

Mine cant and he cant recognise cold either. I have to watch if his cheeks are flushed (hot) or his lips are plae (cold).