sensory processing disorder and button phobia

[orangeybit]

my ds has recently been dxed with severe sensory processing dysfunction.
has had a presumptive dx of aspergers for years but CAMHS haven't been much help with that since we were referred on to them a few years ago.

ds has always strongly disliked seeing buttons on his and other people's clothing. He won't wear anything with buttons on and doesn't like it when me and dh wear clothes with buttons either. He wouldn't watch the film Coraline because the characters had buttons for eyes.

CAMHS psych says that because he dislikes seeing them on other people's shirts as well as his own it's not indicative of ASD - according to psych an ASD child would only be bothered about buttons on his own shirt and he is therefore controlling us.

so I'm wondering whether there might be a link between sensory processing and a strong dislike of the look of buttons

Hmm not sure really. My dd2 is 2.9yrs she is awaiting an ados test and had sensory issues. She won't wear tshirts with buttons on so poloshirts are a big no no. She doesn't seem to mind us wearing them though. However I did go on a course and a parent there had a kid with ADHD, asd and tourettes and he hated buttons on anyone's clothing and on objects! He used to hide his mums purse because it had a button on it and he had an asd dx

interesting.....!

have just been doing a bit of googling and have found that fear of buttons is called Koumpounophobia. What I want to find out is whether it's possible for my ds's dislike of buttons to spread to him not liking other folk wearing buttons as well. Our CAMHS psych was not an ASD specialist - she asked someone else for their opinion on this.

I am finding this thread very interesting! Yes, his dislike of buttons could spread to not liking others to be wearing them, from my own personal experience. If it helps to reassure you, my phobia of buttons has greatly improved since I was a child. I still can't stand shiny ones but that is probably because I also had a phobia of jewellery!

dd won't wear clothes with buttons also but doesn't seem too bothered about us wearing them However she isn't massively controlling. Ds on the other hand is very controlling and whilst he doesn't have that particular problem he is terribly controlling in other ways and this is very much part of his ASD as by controlling us he lessens his anxiety. For instance he likes people to remain seated in same places as finds this reassuring. I would therefore perhaps question idea that his controlling behaviour is not due to his ASD.

Hi, my son is the same, won't wear buttons and has a dislike of buttons on other people, however now at 11 yo he tolerates others wearing them as long as he can count them, see them and know where they are.

oh thanks all for your replies - this thread is very reassuring - I'm not going mad!

has anyone ever had any feedback from professionals regarding this particular characteristic?

cansu ds is controlling but again due to anxiety....it's making sense with what's being said on this thread

he is also (according to his teachers) possible PDA - does that ring
any bells?

Dd3 has a thing about buttons, i wouldnt call it a phobia because she can now wear clothes with buttons on as long as she doesnt have to fasten or unfasten them. For example for years she couldnt wear trousers/shorts with buttons on but now she can as long as they are elasticated so that she can pull them up and down.

She has a dx of ASD and i dont think she really notices what other people are wearing.

She is very controlling and gets very anxious if she cannot control a situation.

It took us 3.5 years to get a dx, camhs eventually used a DISCO assessment which is meant to help with people who are difficult to diagnose.

Good luck

thanks so much for your replies
CAMHS have used 3di which didn't show any sensory difficulties, even though he now has dx of severe sensory processing disorder and it also didn't show anxiety even though he's medicated for anxiety and was unable to leave the house for months.
His former mainstream school were asked to supply info though, which was clearly not at all accurate. His current SS are much more truthful about his difficulties.
I wonder if CAMHS would be prepared to redo the 3di using info from his current setting? They seem to want to sign him off now he's on meds though. Very frustrating.

Hi orangey, have you made it clear to camhs that you dont hold much faith in what the old school said?

We went on and on about how the old school had been unhelpful and were not meeting Dd3's needs and ignoring advice from other proffs.

In the end the psychiatrist disregarded all the evidence provided by the old school and spoke on the phone to the new school.

I would recommend that you talk to someone at camhs about it because what the schools say can carry a lot of clout and for some mad reason the proffs seem to listen to them even if parents are saying it is crap.

From what you say i think you are in a good position to ask for a reassessment.

Good luck

Ds has SPD and lots of phobias, but not buttons.

Not sure where they are coming from with the his buttons, their buttons thing, not being an ASD thing.

Ds has a food phobia, he is petrified of everyone elses food.

Would add that ds doesnt like buttons because they are too fiddley and he cant do them up. Maybe this is where the phobia stems from?

Ds has a phobia of cuddly toys/puppets, he doesnt like the eyes, which happen to be made of buttons, come to think of it!

Dd3's button issues started from not being able to undo them claw,

We think that she was away from the house either at playgroup or someone elses house and she couldnt undo her trousers to go to the toilet.

It came on very suddenly. Where it links with her ASD IMO is that she was and still is unable to tell anyone that she is frightened or needs help.

Yes id agree Ineedalife i should imagine any kind of phobia is stems from anxiety of some shape or form.

True of ds's food phobia due to his SPD, then comes the anxiety, its a vicious circle.

Although i would agree with CAMHS to a certain degree, when you have an anxiety you do become very controlling. So ds's food issues stemmed from SPD, but quickly also became an anxiety issue and the food issue quickly became a phobia and something he needs to control iyswim?

thanks for all your posts this is really helpful

I think what we need to do is to persuade the psych to redo the assessment using info from current special school and the sensory processing report.

Mainstream school said he coped just fine and that they had no idea why he struggled to attend (and had a virtual breakdown and was unable to leave his bedroom let alone go to school).
Current school can't believe he coped for as long as he did in mainstream.