Anyone with a chronic sock avoider? I need help. Sensory related.

[peachesandpickles]

Hi, my dd just started YR2. She has a sensory disorder and has always had major issues with socks.

Everyday last year she kicked up a huge fuss about putting on her socks. They must be on inside out so she can't feel the seams and she pulls them really really tightly before putting her shoes on. It could take 5 attempts to get it right, all the time with her getting more and more upset.

I have to admit that once weather got milder I just gave up and let her go to school with no socks (she wears a skirt as part of uniform).

She didn't wear socks for the entire summer but now we are back to school and the weather has suddenly got colder. I need her to wear her socks.

She doesn't feel the cold at all and has a high pain threshold but she gets ill a lot.

Any suggestions on how to help her with this? It is the initial sensation of having the socks on she hates. Once she can get them on satisfactorily she can cope.

Thanks.

My daughter eventually wore her socks inside out and upside down so the heels were on the ankle!

I can't offer any advice as I couldn't work it out either.

It's just learning patience, making extra time in the morning for the sixty attempts (and although she wears them normally now - yr 8 - she still pulls them tight which OT said is to stop them feeling the sock) and remaining calm when the socks and shoes get thrown across the floor, legs kick out and arms flap in a temper

However, you can buy seamless socks from America - our OT had a leaflet, can't remember the name, but I didn't bother as an expense not needed.

Did you find the OT a help, Cinnamon?

My dd is seeing a Play Therapist and it has been great for helping her relax and helping us understand her more but we are seeing no progress on the clothing issues.

Ours was private, so we didn't progress to far with it. She was mainly there for the sensory and motor control report.

Our son was seen too and he's the opposite - needs lots of touchy feel.

The OT showed various things that can held with sensory issues such as: getting a light brush and brushing the skin daily. Massaging cream into the feet, massaging the scalp to help with water sensitivity.
NHS or private should be able to help by providing a sensory diet, but it does depend on how much she's sensitive to. If its just socks then I'd use what I've said. Brushing and massage to get her used to touch. It stimulates the here endings in the skin.

Hope that helps

This website was linked to by someone (?Polter?) on here before; I bookmarked it, but havent used it.

Would something like this help?

I sympathise as I also have a sock avoider, although he seems to cope with padded 'sports' type socks but anything else irritates him.
DD1 always complains of 'painful feet' which I think is her skin sensitivity rather than anything else. She adores a foot massage before bed.

I have one who is the opposite, but he likes to wear his never off his feet socks upside down (then complains when they're too tight, because he's at the top end of his current size, at the moment!)

Thanks for the replies.

Cinnamon She is sensitive to lots of things. Very specific about the clothes she wears - hates to feel bunched up, won't wear anything stiff. Cotton only. We are hampered by the fact that she also has eczema which contributes to the discomfort.

We already do the skin brushing on the advice of the play therapist. We are not in the UK so no NHS. Everything has to be paid for privately. I think i am still holding on for magical solution to these issues.

Thanks for the link Porridge I bought socks from that website before and unfortunately although the seam free aspect was good they were quite thick and dd found them uncomfortable.

I'll have a look and see if they have any new thinner types.

Hi,
I bought some from 'sock shop' website. They're ankle socks, very reasonable, and average thickness I would say. Might be worth a look.....

Yes, our daughter is the same except no eczema. Clothes used to be stripped as a toddler, in the juniors and even now, in the winter she only wears 3/4 length shorts but refuses skirts and only because she's old enough to know you wear clothes. School and people being close also exasperates the situation at home with outbursts no others see, as they release all the tension held in from school.
The other awkward and emotional thing is cuddles, these weren't allowed so the closeness and connection isn't as great as it is with our son. We had to allow her to tell us when she wanted a hug and again, this is increasing as she gets older but it's painful not being able to cuddle your own child.
Now that she's in secondary school it's a little better in that she wants to fit in, so making more effort. Not much help I know, but hang in there.

OT sent a list
5 mins twice day
Deep pressure massage
Fabric textures down arms with deep pressure
Introduce new textures - to be held in the hand
After two of above, then rub down arms
Continue with other textures but no more than one in a day
Use of brush with soft bristles - in one direction.

Activities - play intro tactile stimulation
Pour water over parts of body
Walking on diff textures - sand, grass, gravel, cushions
Find hidden objects in sand, rice, pasta
Freely box of fabrics and other tactile objects
Massage with cream or oil
Textured painting - add sand, cornstarch for finger painting
Tactile dominoes
Rub down quite firmly with towel after bath/shower

My dd is now 8 and has the same issue with socks (and a lot of other clothes) we finally found some trainer socks in mark and spencer, one size too small for her that she can live with. Believe me when I say we tried a lot of different brands! I must say she was really bad with the sock issue from the ages of around 3-6 then she started to get a little better.
Re the eczema, H&M do a few organic cotton clothes, they are so soft, no labels and my dd loves wearing their tops!

Ds likes me to run my hand through his socks before he puts them on, so they are a little stretched, easier to put on and prewarmed. We did some exercises where I run my thumb along the outer edge of ds feet, sort of in a kneeding fashion, liked crimping the edge of a pie. With seamless socks , and maturity it is no longer too much of a problem.

Ds has to have socks that are tight fitting as any bunching up results in them being removed. So his are always a size too small and worn inside out .
He tolerates them for school but they are removed as soon as he gets home on an evening.