PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Winter can be a tough time for parents trying to convince kids to wear all the layers necessary to keep warm in bitter temperatures. But for children who are not neurotypical and have sensory issues, the day can start off with a real battle.
Kate Usher, occupational therapist at Durand Academy, said children on the autism spectrum or with special needs can't always handle the clothing issues and disruption to their normal schedule because of weather disruptions.
However, there are some things parents can do, including gathering social stories — books with photos that describe the upcoming seasons.
"We have different seasons and we have different clothing we need to wear," said Usher, "so to really use those stories like towards the middle to end of each season, prior to the seasonal change to help the child understand."
Some parents of children on the spectrum are unable to get their children to wear coats in cold weather. As Usher explained, their sensory and central nervous systems aren't prepared for the change in temperatures.
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"Someone with typical neuro development, we don't take recognition of that," she said, "but for a child with autism it can be overwhelming. And I really strongly recommend to parents that practice is the best key to success."
The key, Usher said, is to make it fun.
"Play is a child's most important occupation in their life, so anything you can make a game out of or you can have fun with, whether it is a relay race across the living room or to beat Mom or Dad or your sibling as to who can put their stuff on the quickest, will really get them immersed in play" she suggested, "so they really won't necessarily notice that maybe they are coming in contact with clothing they were initially fearful of or having challenges with the changes."
Usher also advised parents to start preparing children for the next season in the weeks before. As spring is approaching and the weather fluctuates, consider a sweatshirt below a light coat so the child can shed the extra layer as the day warms. Parents should also remove all tags from clothing.
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