Please help me with 5yo refusing clothing!

[katem98]

I am at my wits end! My 5yo daughter is an absolute nightmare when it comes to getting dressed.

It started around 2y ago. Everything is either too tight, too small, itchy or not right. It’s causing me so much stress. It takes me anywhere from 30-45mins in the morning to get her dressed for school. Everything I offer is a battle.

I’ve tried sizing up, giving her options, being firm, sympathising.

When I eventually manage to get her dressed, she’s fine after a while and doesn’t mention it again.

Pants are the main issue, she has to stretch them until the elastic makes a snap sound so you can only imagine the amount of pants we get through. There aren’t actually any item of clothing which does not cause an issue.

Does anyone know of any support/ therapy or even a decent book to help with this? It has reduced me to tears on so many mornings. I go to bed dreading the morning!

Any help, advice or experience greatly appreciated.

Sounds like a sensory processing issue. It's very common with ASD and ADHD if those are a possibility. Would cutting all the tags out help at all? You can get some seamless clothes that might help. Maybe reading up on SPD might help give some more ideas too.

What kind of uniform does she wear? Is it shirts or polo shirts?
Have you tried boxers for pants instead of traditional knicker types? Seamless cotton pants?

Get her dressed at night in her uniform for the next morning, she's not going to be unclean from it and at least your battle would be at night and not in the mornings.
Keep your routine and expectations of getting dressed really really consistent. Like exactly the same time each morning lay her clothes in the same place, get dressed in the same place, put them on in the same order, buy underwear in only one colour, stick to the same brands. Asda do an Easyon range that can be helpful for some things.

To be honest sometimes I have to go for plain bribery to get my DS ready for school, and that only works if I beat the meltdown before it hits.