School is back in session, the weather is cooling, and the leaves are starting to change. Seasonal weather changes are upon us! Some of us love the change to cooler weather, but for many children with sensory sensitivities the change in weather, and resulting change in clothing, can be met with challenges. Below we look to share some tips for supporting the transition to warm weather gear for children with different abilities!
Getting your child used to coats, hats, and gloves:
- If your child is older and can verbalize what bothers them about certain clothes, bringing them along for shopping may help. You can try on a variety of coats and winter accessories to see what might be most acceptable to your child. For some kids a soft lining might help; for others, a looser or lighter coat may be preferred.
- For some children it may take more time to get them used to wearing a coat, hat and/or gloves. Begin by establishing a highly preferred item that your child can earn by wearing the non-preferred clothing item. Then start with short intervals of wearing it. You may start on day one with your child wearing the coat for one minute; after the minute is up, allow your child to remove the coat and reinforce by giving the identified desired item. Each time your child successfully wears the item, you can increase the time until they are successfully wearing it without any protest or sensory aversion. You can work your child accepting other clothing items much the same way!
If you are currently receiving ABA therapy and know your child has had issues wearing winter gear in the past, it’s worth mentioning to your supervising BCBA. Helping your child tolerate wearing cold weather gear can be added to your child’s ABA program and is a valuable use of their therapy time!