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Here you'll find advice from parents and teachers on special needs education.

Easy button school blouses - any recommendations?

5 replies

damebarbaracartlandsbiggestfan · 10/09/2024 09:16

My DD has just started secondary and has quite delayed fine motor skills and is struggling with undoing/doing up buttons on her blouse when changing for PE.
We didn't have so much of an issue with this at primary, as their previous school used to usually require them to go in wearing their PE kits on PE days.
I was wondering if anyone can recommend any brands that make school blouses (short sleeved, preferably) that tend to have medium/large buttons?
I'm aware that there are velcro closing blouses, but would prefer to stick with buttons as she can manage them, she just needs more practise.
Many thanks!

OP posts:
EndlessLight · 10/09/2024 13:01

I also can’t help with shirts with large buttons, I’m afraid. If you don’t find any, could you adapt some?

Is DD undoing all the buttons when changing for PE? If so, and putting shirts over her head is easier, practice just undoing the top few/half rather than all of them then raking the shirt off like you would a T-shirt.

damebarbaracartlandsbiggestfan · 10/09/2024 13:58

Thank you both, there are some great suggestions there!

I can't believe I didn't think about the over the head trick!

That tool looks nifty thanks, unfortunately I'd worry about my DD losing it!

I have just found some white blouses by a brand called Banner that look like they only have four buttons (also the buttons look bigger than the teeny ones on our Next blouses) so might try those as a first step.

OP posts:
BananaPie · 10/09/2024 21:36

We have this exact problem and have the button hook.

The button hook is helpful for independence getting dressed in the morning, but not great for at school. It is also hard to use for the top button.

i tried adapting the shirts and replacing the top button with Velcro.

in the end, the school have allowed dd to wear her PE kit on PE days.

Phineyj · 11/09/2024 07:31

Sensory Smart is a good site for adapted clothes.

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