4yo Dd won’t wear anything covering her legs

[MrsKoala]

Dd refuses all tights, leggings, trousers etc. Has done for the last 2 years but it wasn’t so bad as she was in her cositoes and at home/inside all winter (because of the cold leg situation she never wanted to go to the park or walk). But now she goes to preschool and is clearly bloody freezing.

This is not new to me as my older 2 have sensory issues and point blank refuse to wear certain clothes at varying points. We’ve tried everything bribery, punishments, natural consequences etc but she (they) won’t ever be moved.

So after searching all day for a long thermal petticoat/slip underdress for a 4 year old (she won’t wear anything round her waist so only wears dresses) I am desperately wondering if any of you know where I can buy one or have some made? I also need over the knee socks for her but can only find up to under the knees.

If you can suggest a a warm under slip and long socks I’d be very grateful. Thanks.

Over the knee socks might be tricky but what about longer dresses with knee high socks? Not ideal, but as a temporary solution? Some dresses are longer styles or could be purchased a size up or so?

What are cositoes? If you mean onesies for babies, would she consider similar? Obviously, most onesies for older children are more about sleepwear/loungewear but you might find something. And of course, jumpsuits are often long legged with no or minimal waist?

Sorry can't be more help. I do sympathise. DS's sensory issues drove us crazy at this age. But he didn't really feel the cold so would happily go out in shorts (still does) even on freezing days.

Also, what about leg warmers? Very 80s, true but...

Tbh I'd be tempted to just let her get on with it and get cold. It won't do her any harm and she'll likely cave when she gets cold enough.

That's a tricky problem OP, do you drive or is it the walking to preschool that's the main problem. I guess it's heated while she's there so a jumper dress and long socks should work. Uniqlo has a thermal range- heattech www.uniqlo.com/uk/en/kids/girls-and-boys/innerwear
Maybe she could wear a bigger size of the tops so it would be longer and you could adjust it at the back. They've got long thermal socks too. Their sizes go in and out of stock so I'd sign up to an email alert if they don't have the right size at the moment.

I find synthetic fleece or acrylic wool type jumper dresses really warm, they've got them in asda, sainsburys TU

Sorry, a cositoes is the warm zip up sort of sleeping bag in the buggy. So sadly not like a onesie. She will only wear short sleeve nighties and no pyjamas at all.

She already wears the longest dresses I can find, which often trip her over and hinder her climbing and stuff. I also put her in a thermal t-shirt vest and up to the knee socks. But yesterday when I picked her up from preschool her lips and fingers were actually blue and they mentioned how cold she was. Because of the bubbles now the preschool take the whole group outside for 2 hours in the mornings and afternoons. Whereas before they could go in and out as they wished. This means even if it’s chucking it down or freezing they have to be outside.

she'll likely cave when she gets cold enough. sadly no, I very much doubt it. None of mine have ever caved over sensory issues. They just can’t. It almost causes them pain. Ds1 refused t-shirts and shorts in a heatwave, he was bright red, sweaty and nauseous, his asthma was playing up and he couldn’t breath well and he still insisted on jumpers. Mine don’t respond to pain or heat the same way others do.

I’m thinking I might buy extra small ladies t-shirt thermal vests and take them in at the sides to make an extra under dress.

The leg warmer suggestion is good - I’ll see if she’ll wear them pulled right up. Thanks.

Sorry missed a question mark out in my first sentence. Just thinking that if it's discomfort round her waist that's the problem have you tried soft waisted yoga type trousers like these Frugi ones? www.welovefrugi.com/baby-toddler-clothes/trousers-dungarees-shorts/parsnip-pants_2-shetland-ponies_aw20.htm
They are very soft around the waist. Apologies if you've already tried every trouser type going.

Habe you tried baggy dungarees? So no waistband?

My dd was like this, she didn’t wear anything on her legs between the ages of 3 and 7.
I just let her get on with it, she’s 14 now and wouldn’t be seen dead in a skirt

Thanks. We have tried every trouser type, tights and leggings, dungarees, onesies etc. This year we bought 6 different style coats and the only one she would tolerate is an over sized duffle coat which is soft and not waterproof. She won’t wear any waterproof or padded ski type jacket as they make a swishy noise and are too ‘puffy’. Anything more formal and buttoned up is ‘too tight’ (her regular cry for almost anything that touches her skin). I have loads of stuff to sell on eBay that has never been worn. I bought thick corduroy dresses from John Lewis and she screams blue murder and says she sant move her arms.

We also are having hair battles but that’s a whole other thread!

Thanks so much for your suggestions. I’ll look at Sainsbury’s and Asda dresses.

Next do over the knee socks in all sizes, my daughter prefers them to tights. Pack of 2 for £3/4.

Jojo Maman Bebe does a quilted pinafore which is thick but soft This

What about wellie socks These?

Would she wear shorts ? One of my sons hates long trousers - so wears shorts . I tend to make sure he wears an extra layer on his torso and he doesn’t seem to feel the cold

Aaah, OP, I feel your pain. I just gave away a pile of school trousers to that were all unworn as we attempted to find ones that would fit a plus side child with sensory issues.....

I’m thinking I might buy extra small ladies t-shirt thermal vests and take them in at the sides to make an extra under dress.

I think this could work really well. I have a couple of extremely soft thermal vets from M&S and mine are actually quite large - size 16 - but I could easily see a narrower version working as a long, soft and still flexible dress for a child (my black cashmere jumper has been DD's Halloween witch dress for the last 3 years...which has allowed me to feel less stressed about her being out in freezing weather as she does feel the cold, unlike DS!.)

Sounds like you found a coat - it's interesting that the noise is also an issue because that will add to the complexity for you. DS would only wear the super soft down jackets (not the super puffy ones - because those were restrictive for him) that all claimed to be as warm as a big bulky one, (but weren't - as above, not a disaster for us). But they do make that swishing noise so if she's got auditory sensory as well, I can see that all being a big challenge. For future reference, take a look at Trespass. I have mild sensory issues myself and DS and I now buy all our coats there as we can get warm ones that still allow us to move (but not sure about the noise factor for your DD!). The best I can get for DS on waterproofing is water resistant. I take it as a good compromise.

Her issues sound way worse than DS but one thing we found was that he would wear a long sleeve t-shirt (if it was super soft, super stretchy) under a short sleeve t-shirt. Which allowed us to get a bit of extra warmth on him (he wouldn't touch a jumper, and still only wears the occasional sweatshirt/hoody in very soft, oversizes and NEVER with a coat as well). Would she let you do that with a shortsleeved dress (incidentally, my sensory issues are mild - but I couldn't wear a long sleeve dress even now as an adult if my life depended on it).

Is she actually cold? Two of my dds are happy to have bare legs all winter, always have been.

Would she wear something like this? It's got buttons so she could wrap it round herself if she gets cold without being constrained. They also have oversized jumper dresses. Would she wear a cloak or a giant poncho? Possibly if it's something she can chose to wrap around herself like a blanket rather than something that follows her around (like a skirt or a coat) she might be more in control of where it touches and how it moves.

Oh poor little love, it must be so awful for her.

I can't believe she's 4 already though! (name changer)

Reversible jersey dresses? Warmer & thicker because of the 'reversible' thing.

If you ask on the WoollyHugs pages, I'm sure someone would whip you up a few underslip type things. X

Cambridge Baby do thermals, warm dresses and long socks for children and Love to be Natural have leg warmers. Good luck!

www.sensorysmart.co.uk/

Similar issues her but with older child. Long socks and dresses have been her staple. Also harem pants.

All the girls at our primary school and nursery wear over the knee skirts and either short socks or knee socks, I think this is fine? If she's wrapped up on the top half.

[quote Elisheva]www.sensorysmart.co.uk/[/quote]
Great website, thank you. I like the laces.

DS tolerates leg warmers. Handy as he's a shorts 365 days per year kinda guy.
They are softer and looser than knee high socks.

Fortunately DS is hot blooded as he will only wear fluffy jumpers therefore not school ones, but we did get permission for legwarmers last year when his temperatre was off following a nasty virus.

My daughter was/ is similar. Used to scratch herself until she bled if clothes were somehow wrong. Would never have a blanket over her in bed. Socks were a nightmare.
Occupational Therapy has really helped
Though OT said to avoid wool, we conversely found this was something she could tolerate, if it was Merino. She has Merino wool pjs, dresses, and these slouchy merino trousers. We usually order from Buck&Baa, Mokupuna, The Sleep Store or BaBu. All online New Zealand based companies. Merino can be expensive but it lasts. She's nearly 4 and still has items we got when she was 2 that are in great shape.

Similar issues but for our slightly older daughter. Sock shop do seamless, long bamboo socks. They look normal length on the website but come to mid thigh. Sensory processing disorder uk group on FB is a mine of information and helpfulness for these kinds of queries. Good luck OP!

Not sure where you'd get this from now if possible or maybe get it made but I'm Scots and when I was little one of the things we'd wear was something like this (see pic) which is like a kilt which is warm but no waistband like a skirt instead attached to an underslip style vest shaped top half so it's like a dress but you can layer jumpers over it easily

You could use the same idea for other types of skirt if you can find a seamstress to create/alter for you?

Good warm thick at least knee high socks might be easier to source from Scots and/or outdoors clothing retailers?