Unable to wear clothes help needed

Hi,

This is known as a 'hypersensitivity'.

I can't go near velvet, which is fairly easy to avoid; however, as a child they tried to dress me up in pageboy trousers which I just wouldn't wear, so I threw a tantrum until they gave up.

I am now in my seventies and still won't go near the stuff ...and that's final!

Ben

Don't forget linen, one of the oldest textiles in the world.

Socks made from bamboo are really nice and soft and similar to cotton, but much more sustainable.

Hemp makes a lovely fabric, strong like denim and hard wearing, but soft with a good drape and fantastic when mixed with other fibres like linen or silk.

What do you wash clothes in? EcoZero is hypoallergenic with no added chemically designed Scents.

Our human biology is suited for silk and wool, which will respond with internal temperature regulation. There are a few companies like Cambridge Baby and Mama Owl with silk/wool base layers. They are incredibly soft on the skin. But wools are made these days which are like wearing butter: baby alpaca, marino, cashmere (and it's even affordable). We don't really need a closet of clothes. And natural fibres return to the earth unlike the plastic threads of polys and nylons which are basically a petroleum by-product.

Another fabric to look into is tree fibres. They can be light and soft, but they will also cause the human biology to stay cold so would recommend maybe a dress for the summer. 

At one point I had found a dress by a designer I liked and could afford in a tree fibre. I bought 7 in different colours and a few wool jackets/sweaters to wear over. Done and dusted.

Natural cottons are also great, especially for sleeping, but for kids you may want to make sure they're a jersey and not a blend.

Thanks it's something we could look into and I had mot thought of so thanks for the suggestion 

Thanks for your suggestions. Tbh even when she wants to go out apart from the odd time recently she still can't tolerate much. Senco won't put her on sen register she's 'fine at school' altho her attendance fir the year is at 80% she started school refusing in Oct last year so def  could be linked in.  It seems to be all types of clothes at the moment. Even the softest of things she is struggling with. We remove labels and have seamless socks etc. Now it's almost like she's anxious before even putting anything on

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I think most of her clothes are cotton tbh and she was fine...some difficulties with socks and shoes and leggings but now it has escalated. She doesn't like anything tight but won't wear joggers. Has same trousers for school and weekend but now we maybe one day she will wear clothes but the rest she won't.  She tried really hard and puts clothes on but cannot tolerate and will try different  clothes but again says everything itches and it's like wearing grass.    Will have a look into what's in the clothes more as that's a really good suggestion 

Thanks hadn't thought about the washing process so will look into that...its like she had develop a fear...she says everything hurts. Even the softest blanket on some days. We have the odd day where site manages but most days there's only knickers.  Will have a look into our washing process 

Woolly balls in the tumble dryer help soften clothes naturally as well as making them dry quicker.

Having really sensitive skin I use unscented eco friendly laundry products, there are a few different brands around, I use BioD which I get from the Ethical Superstore via mail order, you may find some local shops doing  eco friendly products too. I find these are nicer on my skin as well as not making me itch.

Could you get some fabric samples from somewhere like Abakhan, (an online fabric and dressmaking shop) so as your daughter can feel them and see if there's any that she likes and any that repel her?

I have just read Tigger's reply and it reminded me of something. I like cotton socks, but not when they get hard. When I was a child my Mum did her washing either by hand or for some cottons, in a wash boiler. The washing powder she used was different. When we did have a washing machine we had to use 'automatic washing powder '. Apparently something is put into it to stop a lot of bubbles in the wash. I believe this caused clothes to get hard and is the reason we now have to add conditioner to compensate for this. We also could used a soap based powder for washing wool. I am not sure what alternative washing powders are available these days, but wondered if there is anything they could be washed in that would help.

Also if she wears a skirt to school would it help if you can get a soft petticoat/ underskirt to wear underneath?

  I have sensory issues with clothing. You say you have tried different clothes but I hope you don't mind me diving into that more.  I find texture, thickness and material type make a big difference along with where on my skin I am wearing them. For example I could wear woolen gloves but not a woolen t shirt. Because some parts of the body can be more sensitive than others.

Sorry I talk about it below very much from my own perspective and I appreciate others may experience things differently including your daughter. It is bit of a brain dump but maybe there might be something you feel might apply to your daughters situation, or could be adapted in some way.  

Texture :

I cannot tolerate finely woven materials like polyester or cotton sheets (not even egpytian) but can use brushed cotton sheets. I cannot wear tightly woven polyester/cotton shirts (formal shirts for example) but can wear cotton t shirts (as long as its very thin cotton). I can wear fleeces because they have a fluffy type texture. I cannot wear formal trousers or jeans because I hate the material but can get round that by wearing underneath very thin cotton lounge trousers/pyjama type things. 

Thickness:

If it's a polyester fleece type material any thickness is good. However with cotton clothing the thinner the better I find for me. 

Material type :

• wool I can't wear anywhere except my hands.
• Man made materials like polyester, acrylic i can wear if they are fleece, fluffy or Jersey type material but cannot tolerate them if they are tightly woven like formal shirts or trousers.
• Cotton I have to be careful to make it soft after washing and before wearing I do not have this issue with other types of material like polyester for example after washing them. I make cotton softer after washing by  washing with non bio rather than bio which i find helps. I then do an extra rinse and spin to get any remaining detergent off (detergent can leave Cotton stiff and therefore uncomfortable I find). After the Cotton items are dry I have to shake for them twenty seconds or so and turn them inside four or five times (I find this makes cotton items a lot softer for me).  

Finally :

You say she can wear an item of clothing already. Perhaps you could try that same combination of texture, thickness and material but with trousers, t shirts skirts etc if you have not already? 

Also perhaps buy clothing items with every combination of texture, thickness and material type you can think of and ask her if she would be happy to try to wear any? You can always take back what she does not like for a refund. 

When she is older she will work out for herself what suits next to her skin but until then she is reliant on you to help her figure it out.  I appreciate you may have tried all my suggestions already but I wanted to say them just in case there may be something you feel may help. Good luck.         

Lots of children refuse to wear clothes and it's a quite common way of them acting out, its one of the few areas where they have power.

Have you a dress maker nearby who could make her some clothes in nice fabrics and French sew all the seems to make them enclosed and flat?

That's a difficult problem to solve. I have touch sensory issues, but I can wear soft, loose clothing. What types of clothes have you tried? How about a soft onesie that looks like an animal? Make sure that there are no labels stitched to the inside of any clothing you try to get her to wear.

Obviously she cannot leave the house just wearing knickers, so you'll need to try to get the clothing issue sorted first. But maybe part of the refusal to dress is because she has worked out that she can't go out in just underwear?

It could be all about being overloaded by school. Have you talked to the special needs staff?