Isolation

by Donna
(Wigan, Englad)

My daughter, Leah (8 in august), has had a problem with clothes since she was 3. Every day getting her ready for school has been a challenge.

This past year, however, since September, it has been impossible. She simply refuses to get dressed. She gets heartbroken and aggressive and becomes confrontational. Then she gets upset again. i get upset then angry etc etc.

It has got to the point now where she gets dressed for school on Monday morning and keeps her uniform on all week (just using baby wipes on any marks) and changing her knickers and socks daily. But even this is a struggle for her.

It took 45 minutes this morning to get her to put knickers on. 45 minutes of tears and pulling them up 1 milimeter at a time telling me they are too hard and not soft enough.

I am going to either lose my job or end up having a breakdown. It is so isolating. Nobody else sees this - they just see an intelligent girl and think I can be firmer with her but nothing works!

She was 'diagnosed' with SPD last year but I'm not convinced it is all sensory and not anxiety?? Once she's dressed the clothes don't bother her. Can't get them off her then! She sleeps in her clothes. It is the process of getting dressed that bothers her. But there is definitely some sensory as she is constantly bothered by her sleeves and sits/rests on her arm all the time as her sleeves 'mither' her.

When I really push her she says she just doesn't like the way clothes feel but can't explain why.

She's such an amazing kid but this every day is making us both ill.

Donna xx