sensory integration

My ADHD son has this same problem with socks and sneakers. I have found that the low (ankle-type) Nike and Tommy Hilfiger socks work. The less expensive socks appear have more excess material at the seam than the more expensive ones do. We haven’t had an incident of “Sock Perseveration” since I bought them several months ago.

He also has shoe issues that we have solved by only purchasing sneakers that have extended eyelets for the laces-if the holes are in the shoe itself, forget it!!! We can walk out of a store thinking we are OK only to have him have a fit later.

I hope this helps.

There is a great catalogue called Sensory Comfort, you can look them up using Google online. They make seemless socks and a couple of other things that help those who are tactilly defensive.

My son will only wear socks by Osh Gosh. They still have seams near the toes but for some reason he will put up with them. I think part of it is he can manage them by himself.

Beth

Same here, and its making me crazy.

But now I feel really bad that this could be a real issue for him. We go into the store and I make him try everything on, he’s says everything is fine, their good. I say, “are you sure” over and over again. “Yes mom, they’re perfect!” Two days later I ask why he’s not wearing them, he can rattle off a list of things that are wrong with them. Then of course mom gets mad. I haven’t been able to pin point what the problems actually are.

Here’s the question: How do you know when its just a comfort or preference issue (like won’t wear long sleeves of any kind) vs. a real sensory integration issue?

Only way to know for sure is to have your child evaluated by an OT specializing in sensory integration. When I had my son evaluated I frankly was hoping there would be an issue with the tactile system because then there would be hope!!! Well, he has sensory integration issues (vestibular primarily)but not in the tactile system. She told me that his sock thing had to do more with his small motor skills—he couldn’t position his socks the way he liked them. Sigh.

Also, I have an older child who has always been major comfort oriented. At 11, she still won’t wear jeans because she doesn’t like the way they feel. I have never been able to buy her cheap shoes because she doesn’t like the way they feel either. I don’t think she has SI issues generally. I guess what I am saying is that there is a continuum of tolerance as well–it isn’t compeltely black and white.

You might try leaving tags on clothes and keep receipts to return if he decides after he gets the clothes home that he won’t wear them. My daughter used to do that now–now the only unworn clothes are those that Mom thought would be a really good idea.

Beth

Is clothing the only thing that bothers him? Is he a fussy eater, do loud noises bother him? What is his behavior like? Long sleeves often bother kids because of the feel on the wrist and the looseness. Look for patterns. If you want email me (the other addy I put somewhere on here if you have trouble) with what he will and won’t wear and I’ll see what I think.

To help determine if it is sensory integration I would recommend reading the “Out of Sync Child” (I believe the author is Jane Ayres) The author isolated the condition in the 60’s. The book breaks down sensory integration into three categories. My two sons are effected differently. One is tactical and over sensitive to touch, the other is undersensitized to touch, has difficulty with personal space and needs to have his feet on the ground in order not to feel lost. The book provided this understanding. (Dinners use to be a nightmare, now he has a stool under his feet to ground him and mealtime is much less stressful.) The book also provided a copy of the questionaire I filled out when my son was evaluated by an OT. This will help you to realize what activities to mention to your doctor when requested the perscription for evaluation.

After questioning the therapist I received many recommendations to incorporate at home to address SI. But I still have not found a good book for correction, only diagnosis.

PS - I wrote the original question and would like to thank everyone for their feedback. The Sensory comfort web site has my order for the socks.

The sensory integration issue is interesting to me. I am convinced my 6 year old son, who is diagnosed with ADD, has it. Sock seams really bother him. However it is short sleeves that bother him. It takes him a long time to adjust to wearing them, after getting used to long sleeves in the winter. He has only 2 or 3 shirts or pants he will wear, which he keeps putting on even if they are filthy. When he is at the table he sits on the edge of the chair as if he is going to bolt. Reading the above posts now I understand that maybe he needs to keep his feet on the floor.

I also believe I have SI issues. I am hypersensitive to just about all sensations: smell, taste, touch, sound and visual movement. Everything distracts and bothers me. I am a picky eater. I don’t like riding in a car with windows open because the movement blows strands of hairs against my face and this bothers me. I could go on and on.

I was recently diagnosed with ADD. I feel these symptoms are a part of ADD, but not everyone with ADD has them. Now the question is what to do about it.

My recollection is that some tube socks have no seams.You might find that cheaper socks (the kind that come in multi-paks in discount stores) are made this way.

My son is almost 15 and I didn’t know this all had a name until now… I was here for another reason. However, the sock issue catch my attention. When he was 4 he missed school because he was crying so hard about his socks feeling funny. He is still that was but has solved it himself by turning his socks
INSIDE-OUT! Ha says they feel much better. Good Luck…

Hi Jean, et al,

My son still has problems with this although to a much lesser degree than when he was your son’s age. At one point in time after an extended search for socks that wouldn’t bug him, he had 35prs of new socks that he refused to wear! He also hated clothing tags and even a drop of water on his clothing in which he could feel the wet spot would send him over the top. Two things worked best for us. The more expensive socks have less seam bulk so he would wear them - but only inside out. Also, he liked socks with more stretch to them, like a poly/cotton or cotton/spandex blend so they fit the foot snugger and wouldn’t bunch up in the shoe.

At age 12, my son is no longer bothered by wet clothing and I only have to cut out the occasional clothing tag. He still takes a long time to put his shoes on since his socks need to feel just right but he can now put them on in the car so I don’t have to wait around for him so much.

My son does not have SI or ADD or LD or anything like that. He does, however, have allergies. I believe his allergies make him hypersensitive to the feel of things which in turn makes him itch and twitch.

Blessings, momo