So many children suffer with sensory processing difficulties and for many, especially those in a mainstream school setting, one of the biggest challenges every day can be having to wear their school uniform. In this blog post, Sunshine Support founder Chrissa Wadlow looks at the difficulties so many children have with school uniforms and the ways in which we might be able to help them.
I can still recall having to learn how to tie a tie (not a clip on one, an actually tie you had to physically tie) from the age of about 6 years old. Thinking about that now it really is BIZARRE. Why on earth did a primary school require children to dress as if they were about to enter a conference meeting to sign off a massive partnership deal or something?
The worst part was how uncomfortable the uniform felt to wear. Itchy and dry school shirts, tight leather shoes and baggy grey trousers. Oh, and if you were a girl then you had to wear a skirt which is sexist and very oppressive. Boys can wear skirts, girls can wear trousers, you don’t even have to have a gender anymore. So, if any schools out there are still implementing these old-fashioned ideas of gender, then you should get with the times and stop perpetuating a patriarchal society. DO BETTER. Rant over.
Back to my initial point, school uniforms can be incredibly uncomfortable. Imagine what it would be like to have a sensory difference on top of that. It can be incredibly distressing and quite often lead to sensory meltdowns. So, how can we help support those children?
What is sensory processing?
We are all experiencing sensory process constantly. Everything that our senses take in is processed and our bodies react accordingly to whatever the stimulus is. However, an extremely common thing amongst neurodivergent people is to have heightened sensitivity to stimuli. For children with additional needs their senses take in more information which means there is more to process and more to react to.
Of course, this can sometimes be a positive thing. There are many neurodivergent artists/musicians/chefs who utilise their sensory diversity to be creative in new ways. Often they think outside of the box or take risks to make something new. My point being, it’s not all doom and gloom!
Sensory Processing and school uniform
This is an issue that many SEND parents face. Children cannot wear the required uniform because it doesn’t agree with their sensory needs. There’s this joke I am sure lots of us see on Facebook from time to time; “I’m sorry I can’t talk right now I have socks on” or something along those lines. Although it is a joke, it’s also a reality for many. Sensory reactions can manifest themselves in many different ways, such as:
- Anxiety
- Meltdowns
- Panic Attacks
- Selective Mutism
- Difficulties focusing
- Sleep problems
- Fear
- And more… (there’s most definitely an infinite amount of presentations, nothing shocks us anymore!)
The difficult thing is to find ways to combat this. How can we prevent sensory overload from school uniform?
It’s not just sourcing materials that are fulfilling sensory needs but also taking into account the child’s social needs. It would be all too easy to just send them to school wearing whatever they feel comfortable with. This would seem like an easy fix but will this cause them to receive unwanted attention from offer students and school workers? How will they feel to be “the odd one out”? And how much distress could this cause them?
Tips from Team Sunshine
One of the benefits of being a very neurodiverse team is that we all have that very important lived experience. It allows us to understand on a personal level what it feels like to have additional needs and most importantly it has provided us with the knowledge to help you.
So, here are our best tips to support those with a sensory processing difference when it comes to school uniform:
Consider talking to an Occupational Therapist
Understanding why a behaviour happens is usually key to finding a solution. An OT will be able to explain a child’s sensory difference and sensory needs in detail. The issues occurring may even have a simple fix or easy explanation and an OT will uncover this.
Bamboo Socks / Seemless Socks
Bamboo socks and seamless socks can be a bit of a godsend for those with a sensory difference. They are comfy, diverse and usually non sensory offensive.
Sensory friendly alternatives
There are so many supermarkets who have branched out in sensory friendly uniform alternatives! M&S and ASDA are usually a good place to start. They offer all manner of plain uniforms that you could easily get a custom school emblem embroidered on if need be.
It’s often worth talking to the school too. Perhaps they will be able to offer alternative solutions.
A gentle and consistent approach!
It’s no mystery why so many children refuse to wear a uniform and even more understanding if there’s a sensory difference somewhere there too. So, our best advice is to be gentle and never force anything. We don’t want getting dressed for school to become associated with negative emotions, instead we want to create a calming and non-threatening environment that promotes safety. Keeping this consistent will have greater benefits.
Want to learn more?
If your child is struggling with sensory issues and you want more top tips on how to help them, then don’t miss our webinar Sensory Processing Difficulties in Children and Young People which will be taking place on Tuesday 11 March.
We are delighted to be joined by Children’s Choice Occupational Therapy who will show us how to best support a child or young person to ensure healthy development.
What you will learn:
- What ‘Sensory Processing’ is
- How our senses impact learning and development
- The different types of sensory processing difficulties
- What behaviours we might see
- The use of ‘Sensory Integration’
- Strategies to promote sensory regulation
This webinar will leave you feeling confident in identifying the sensory triggers and how to support your child to ensure sensory regulations.
