sensory issues and cold weather

[ktgrok]

Anyone else have sensory issues that make wearing warm clothing difficult? I HATE long sleeved clothing. I can't stand the feeling on my arms. I luckily live in florida but we are having a cold snap and I have to wear long sleeves. I am managing when outside, but can't stand to wear long sleeves in the house. So it's tshirts and sweat pants in the house. Right now my feet are COLD but i don't really like having things on my feet either. Sigh.

 

Anyone else deal with this? I know we could save money on heating if I would suck it up and wear a sweatshirt but I really don't think I could manage. I know that sounds stupid, but if anyone has sensory issues maybe you will understand.

[HollyB]

Could you wear something like a poncho or a wrap? It might keep you warmer without having to completely cover your arms. Good luck. :)

[ChristineW]

I think that my kids are experiencing it now. During the summer my daughter (3) only wore sundresses and flip flops (except for the garden where she has to wear real shoes); it is so much more difficult to keep her dressed now. She'd much rather be freezing in just a shirt than wear anything on her legs and I haven't found a comfortable pair of socks for her yet so I'm constantly putting shoes and socks on bare feet.

 

You aren't alone. If you have any advice on how to make her happier, please PM me.

 

Personally, I am highly allergic to wool and can't wait to get through the dry, itchy skin season.

 

Christine W

[MamaSheep]

Well...it's not quite the same, but it bugs me to have stuff on my feet. I love going barefoot in the summer, and I'm nearly always barefoot at home. I wear shoes when I go out, but in the summer I can generally get away with slip-on sandals. In the winter I have to wear actual socks and shoes, though, because snow is a bummer on bare feet. But I always shuck them off the minute I walk in the door. I'm sure we could save on heating if I'd wear shoes. Or at least socks. But it would drive me nutso. I love visiting my parents now because their new house (new..ha...they've been there about as long as I've been married...lol...) has radient heat in the floors, so the floor is always warm....aaaahhhhh....

 

My ds is the opposite of you. He wears long-sleeve flannel shirts all summer because they are soft and he doesn't like the feel of short sleeves. He likes winter.

[DawnL]

I don't think that sounds stupid at all. It's my son that has the sensory issues, though. When it snowed, he played outside and when he got too cold, he didn't think to come inside. So he wound up calling names, etc.

 

But I can understand not liking long sleeves. I dont' really like them either, and I don't have sensory issues. I would honestly rather be a little too cold than a little too warm. I would just turn the heat up as you have been. If you try to suck it up and wear the long sleeves, it might bug you enough that by the end of they day, you could be extra grumpy. It's worth that alone to just turn the heat up.

[Tap]

DD12 won't wear long sleeve shirts but she will wear light weight, thick t-shirt material sweat shirts. The sweatshirts aren't as binding to her as the t-shirt, so it doesn't bother her as much.

 

She will also wear a fleece vest sometimes. It keeps her body warmer without the sleeves to bug her.

[Pippen]

I'm pretty tactile sensitive and do best with lightweight Lands End fleece instead of regular sweatshirt fabric and tennis shoes without socks or Ugg boots.

[Tap]

I'm pretty tactile sensitive and do best with lightweight Lands End fleece instead of regular sweatshirt fabric and tennis shoes without socks or Ugg boots.

 

DD12 has one of these too and will wear it sometimes. She also likes my North Face micro-fleece. They are very nice, light weight and soft.

[laundrycrisis]

I cannot handle having anything thick on my arms. I can't concentrate enough to get anything done.

 

In the house I wear tank tops, and if I am chilly, a thin lambswool cardigan over that, with the sleeves pulled up, or I wear 3/4 length shirts from Eddie Bauer. Outside I just wear a coat over these. My coat has loose sleeves that are not thick and bunchy.

 

For when it is really cold and I need long sleeves, LL Bean used to have these super thin long sleeved shirts for layering. They don't have them anymore, but they are really thin cotton. I wear those a size smaller than normal so they fit like a long underwear shirt, but they are cotton. Those are the only long sleeves that don't bug me. I wear short sleeved T over them.

[ktgrok]

Thanks all. I did end up putting on socks until my feet got warm, then kicking them off again. As for sleeves, maybe I could tolerate a thin LOOSE long sleeved shirt, but I doubt it. for outside I wear a mens sweatshirt or hoodie, several sizes too big, which is fine. But inside, no way :)

[MamaSheep]

You know, the more I think about it I do have another sensory issue with clothing, but it's visual, not tactile. I can't wear tops with busy, brightly colored patterns because after a couple of hours I get very tense and twitchy from having that pattern swim around in my peripheral vision. All my tops are plain or have very subtle patterning.

[Pretty in Pink]

I can't stand fitted, long sleeves. I try to tough it out in short sleeves year round. I don't mind loose, soft, cotton fleece jackets or sweaters, so I do wear these as well. I just buy a size up so it's not too fitted in the arm or shoulder area.

[lisamarie]

I can't stand things that are tight across my neck, shoulders, chest and stomach. I feel like I am suffocating. I have a very warm winter jacket, but it is just snug enough (due to weight gain) across my trunk that I will only wear it not zipped up. It does still fit me, it's just not baggy as I would prefer. I wear an over-sized mens hooded zip up sweatshirt (the women's ones are all too short or too form fitted). And I will slip my jacket on only on the coldest of days but won't zip it up. (I live in MI, so cold to me would be below 15-20 degrees)

 

I only wear stretchy material shirts, so nothing tailored, and absolutely no turtlenecks.

 

Would one of those fleece vests work for you? My dad wears those because he only wears short-sleeved dress shirts year round. That way your arms aren't compromised but it keeps your trunk warm.