{"id":18856,"date":"2020-08-11T12:20:01","date_gmt":"2020-08-11T11:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/?p=18856"},"modified":"2020-08-11T12:20:01","modified_gmt":"2020-08-11T11:20:01","slug":"what-is-sensory-clothing-how-it-can-improve-your-childs-quality-of-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/2020\/08\/what-is-sensory-clothing-how-it-can-improve-your-childs-quality-of-life\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Sensory Clothing & How It Can Improve Your Child\u2019s Quality Of Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Most people think about clothes in terms of style and design, but few really think about the actual fabrics that they wear and how it feels against the skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That, sadly, is not the case for children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and autism, however. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meta Auden, founder of Spectra Sensory Clothing<\/a> explained: \u201cWhile some children will appreciate the tactile stimulation that some clothing will offer them, others will find that their clothing creates an unpleasant tactile sensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany children will appreciate a sensory-preoccupying layer of clothing that acts as protection against the outside world, other children with SPD and autism will find clothing stiff, itchy and, at times, almost unbearable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not just about the materials used in their clothing, either, children can also be affected by the way in which an item of clothing fits their body.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Meta, who is currently working with her customers to provide a range of sensory clothing for school uniforms, an unpleasant, tactile sensation can also be made even worse by accessories attached to the clothing, such as metal attachments and seams, which can cause a child to itch and scratch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added: \u201cThe situation can be made even worse if a child is not very communicative and is unable to articulate their discomfort, so it goes without saying that finding the right type of sensory-friendly clothing can be an absolute lifesaver for a child.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sensory clothing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sensory friendly clothing is clothing that is specifically designed for children with sensory issues. In general, it tends to be tagless, seamless and has accessories or fastenings that are much more pleasant against a child\u2019s skin. A child, for example, who doesn\u2019t like to feel the seam of their socks against their ankles will enjoy the benefits that seamless socks can provide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meta said: \u201cThe \u2018bottom layer\u2019 of clothing is obviously the most important aspect of sensory clothing since it is the layer that is in direct contact with the skin. The right underwear, for example, can make the difference between a day of fun and a day of discomfort and irritation for a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen it comes to the \u2018middle layer\u2019 \u2013 items such as shirts and trousers \u2013 it\u2019s vitally important for a child to avoid materials that will irritate their skin. If the weather is fine, then loose, baggy shorts are a great idea, while loose-necked T-shirts are preferable to buttoned-up or \u2018tight-necked\u2019 items, such as polo neck jumpers or fitted shirts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLightweight compression materials such as cotton are the best option for these items, with stretchy cotton a particularly good choice, since it enables easy, irritation-free movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe\u2019 top layer\u2019 is the one which can feature heavier compression materials since these can be easily put on and taken off as required, and providing easy access for a child.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it can improve your child\u2019s quality of life<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meta, whose daughter Kirsty is Autistic said: \u201cParents of a child with SPD and autism, will be only too aware of the problems that their child may be experiencing with their clothing. From refusing to wear certain items of clothing, to being visibly and audibly distressed while wearing others, the wrong type of clothing can be upsetting for both parent and child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSensory clothing is one vitally important way in which you can help to alleviate your child\u2019s distress and discomfort. Research has shown that sensory-friendly clothing can decrease a child\u2019s stress levels, primarily since it greatly reduces \u2013 or removes completely \u2013 the irritation that \u2018ordinary\u2019 clothing can cause to their skin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meta added that compression clothing can act as a type of weighted blanket for your child since it helps to make them grounded and to reconnect with the world around them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChildren with SPD and autism have enough to deal with on a daily basis without having to cope with the discomfort and distress caused by their clothing. By opting for sensory clothing, you can help to remove the aggravation caused by your child\u2019s clothing and enable them to feel comfortable both in their clothing \u2013 and in their own skin\u201d said Meta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find out more about Spectra Sensory\u2019s general clothing and uniform options at <\/em><\/strong>spectrasensoryclothing.co.uk<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Most people think about clothes in terms of style and design, but few really think about the actual fabrics that they wear and how it feels against the skin. That, sadly, is not the case for children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and autism, however.  Meta Auden, founder of Spectra Sensory Clothing explained: \u201cWhile some … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18856"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18856"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18856\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18858,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18856\/revisions\/18858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whatsonni.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}