Clothes Picking

[jules412]

Hi all!

I have'nt posted for while now, but read your posts with great interest each day.

I dont know if anyone remembers me, I a mum to gem a son of 15yrs with ocd, and a daughter of 7yrs with asd and epilepsy, who attends a resource unit attached to a mainstream school in NW London.

Sian was diagnosed at 4.5yrs with asd and epilepsy. Sian initially started off in mainstream school when she was 5yrs old with 1-1 support all day, but she was rarely there for a full day, I would get phone calls every other day to collect her after being there just a couple of hours, due to them not bein able to cope with her needs.

Since she's attended the resource unit she has progressed to a certain extent, but the behaviour seems to have got worse over the last couple of years . To be honest i'm not sure whether this is down to the asd or the epilepsy meds she takes as these have lots of nasty side effects, there is also the possibility of her copying her older brother's horrid behaviour ie. the swearing, lashing out.

I wondered if I could ask if anyone has had to deal with clothes picking with their child before, with picking at any loose threads on socks, vests, knickers, anything which she can find a loose thread to.

Its a nightmare for us as I seem to be throwing so many clothes away after sewing them up a few times, she seems to remember which ones she's picked at and looks for the holes and becomes very agitated and anxious and refuses point blank to wear anything with a tiny hole in it.

Someone suggested giving her a ball of thread from the sewing box to play with, tried that but she's not interested.

She also tends to come home from school with a different top on, as she has picked away at the top so much she's had to have another one put on. I have asked the school if they can think of any strategies to try stopping this, but they have'nt helped much, I have also attended SCAN where they suggested reward charts, this didnt work either.

I dont know whether any of you have girls with the same problems, I also have issues with her not wearing skirts, dresses, zips, certain buttons especially ones on jeans wont wear them as the fabric is to hard.

Its really difficult when shopping for clothes for her as I never know what she will wear without getting totally stressed out about it.

any advice much appreciated.

Julie

I havent any good advice but will be interested in the replies! My son chews his shirt collars, is impossibly fussy about clothes like Sian (soft, pull on only,no labels difficult at 8!) and has a facination for enlarging holes!! Things got a little better when the teacher allowed him to fiddle with her blutak as a reward for work-he makes it into long thin snakes(I send in supplies!), and at home I give let him play with playdough etc. I taught him how to make snakes/ sausages to improve his fine motor control. He also likes chopping strips of paper (hence the starter holes in his trousers). I have not found a way to stop holes beig enlarged - since he attacks repairs of all sorts patches especially.
I buy school tops when on special offer and just accept they need frequent replacement from all the chewing! I imagine girls tops with the embroidered edges are worse - perhaps unisex are better?

Thanks for your reply magso, I like the idea of the blutak, but not sure if this would work with Sian as she still tends to put anything like this into her mouth. We have the playdough at home too, whichI must admit she loves playing with and also rolls pieces intolong sausages.

I have had to remove any labels also, or Sian tends to do this herself. I tend to buy most of the school clothes from the big supermarkets, as they are very reasonably priced and tend to sell packets of two tops, and the trousers are reasonably priced too.

Julie

Thanks for your reply magso, I like the idea of the blutak, but not sure if this would work with Sian as she still tends to put anything like this into her mouth. We have the playdough at home too, whichI must admit she loves playing with and also rolls pieces intolong sausages.

I have had to remove any labels also, or Sian tends to do this herself. I tend to buy most of the school clothes from the big supermarkets, as they are very reasonably priced and tend to sell packets of two tops, and the trousers are reasonably priced too.

Julie