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Materials
-Sensory box with different fabrics -Magazine
-Scissors
-Glue
-Markers/Colored Pencils -Computer
-Printer
-Paper
-Calculator
Did you ever see an outfit you wanted to wear, but your body was being UNCOOPERATIVE and wouldn’t let you? If so, just know that you’re not alone.1 out of 54 people in the UNITED STATES are diagnosed with autism and have VARIOUS amounts of SENSORY ISSUES in common. CLOTHING is one of the most common sensory issues that people with autism experience. Not only do people with autism experience this, but people with a sensory processing disorder, attention deficit HYPERACTIVITY (unusually or abnormally active) disorder, and people with no diagnoses experience this as well. Today we are going to focus on the way clothes make people with sensory issues feel.
SPELL: UNCOOPERATIVE SPELL: VARIOUS SPELL: HYPERACTIVITY
What is one of the most common sensory issues that people with autism experience? CLOTHING
Today we are going to focus on the way clothes make people with ____ ____ feel. SENSORY ISSUES
Besides people with autism, who else experience sensory issues with clothes? PEOPLE WITH SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER, ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER, OR PEOPLE WITH NO DIAGNOSES
1 in ___ people in the United States are diagnosed with autism. 54 If 1 out of 54 people have autism, how many do not? 54-1 = 53 PEOPLE
If 1 out of 54 people have autism, what percentage is that? 1/54 = 0.0185, 0.0185 x 100 = 1.85 PERCENT (it can also be rounded to 1.9 PERCENT)
What’s the acronym for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?
If you could shop at any store, what would it be?
VAKT: Cut out a blank shirt template for your client. Have the client cut out pictures from a magazine and glue them onto the pre-cut shirt template to design their own shirt. They can also use markers or colored pencils if they do not like to use glue.
Just like any other topic that’s discussed amongst people, clothing has many different PERSPECTIVES and opinions about it. Some people may describe clothing as comfortable, fitting, and DIVINE (excellent or delightful), but there are others that describe clothing as INTOLERABLE (unable to be endured), painful, and unpleasant. There are many people who take for granted being able to shop and wear whatever they DESIRE. For people with sensory issues, it’s not that easy. When it comes to clothing and sensory issues, it all relates back to our TACTILE SENSE.
SPELL: PERSPECTIVES SPELL: DIVINE SPELL: INTOLERABLE
Clothing has many different perspectives and ____ about it. OPINIONS
When it comes to clothing and sensory issues, it all relates back to our ____ _____. TACTILE SENSE
There are many people who take for granted being able to _____ and wear whatever they _____. SHOP, DESIRE
How do some people describe clothing? COMFORTABLE, FITTING, DIVINE, INTOLERABLE, PAINFUL, OR UNPLEASANT
Name another sensory issue that people struggle with.
How would you describe the way clothing feels on your skin?
VAKT: The man in the picture portrays that the collar on his shirt is making him feel unpleasant.
ARISTOTLE is the one who defined the 5 senses in 350 B.C. The tactile sense is part of our 5 classic senses, and it is also known as our sense of touch. Our tactile senses can either be BENEFICIAL for some people or unbeneficial for others. The purpose of our tactile senses is to have us experience different kinds of touches or textures. It also runs over our whole body from head to toe. While we are experiencing different kinds of touches or textures, our tactile sense is sending large quantities of signals of how we are feeling to our brains. In body parts such as our mouth, hands, and feet, it’s found that there are higher CONCENTRATIONS of receptors. Our tactile sense system lets us know if something is painful, cold, hot, soft, rough, etc., which is important because it can help us understand our environment.
SPELL: ARISTOTLE SPELL: BENEFICIAL SPELL: CONCENTRATIONS
The purpose of our tactile senses is to have us experience different kinds of touches or ______. TEXTURES
The tactile sense is also known as our sense of ____. TOUCH
In which body part did they find that there are higher concentrations of receptors? MOUTH, HANDS, OR FEET
What can our tactile sense system let us know? IF SOMETHING IS PAINFUL, COLD, HOT, SOFT, OR ROUGH
How many classic senses are there? 5
When did Aristotle define the 5 senses? 350 B.C.
Besides touch, name another sense that we have.
If you enjoy touching certain textures, what are they? If you are uncomfortable touching certain textures, what are they?
VAKT: Take out the sensory box and have the client feel all types of textures on different fabrics.
VAKT: Make a chart of the likes and dislikes of the different fabrics. If the client can write independently, have them write it out themselves. If not, have the practitioner write it out for them after they shared it on the letter board.
When our tactile sense is FUNCTIONING well, we hardly notice that it is working; however, when it’s not working well, it makes it quite obvious that we don’t like the way something makes us feel. When someone touches something that makes them feel uncomfortable and painful, it can be described as NAUSEATING and UNBEARABLE (not able to be tolerated). It can also cause them to go into SENSORY OVERLOAD and fight or flight mode. If you’ve ever felt this way over clothes, it’s because you experience TACTILE DEFENSIVENESS, and that is totally okay. Occupational therapist, A.J. AYRES, discovered tactile defensiveness in the 1960 era.
SPELL: FUNCTIONING SPELL: NAUSEATING SPELL: UNBEARABLE
If you’ve ever felt this way over clothes, it’s because you experience _____ ______. TACTILE DEFENSIVENESS
Who discovered tactile defensiveness? A.J. AYRES
When someone touches something that makes them feel uncomfortable and painful, what can it cause them to do? GO INTO SENSORY OVERLOAD, OR FIGHT OR FLIGHT MODE
When did A.J. Ayres discover tactile defensiveness? 1960 ERA Name something else that might cause someone to go into sensory overload.
How do you think a person would react if their tactile sense is not functioning well?
Experiencing tactile defensiveness means being overly sensitive to touch and the way different textures feel. It’s common for people with tactile defensiveness to feel AGONY or IRRITATION while wearing socks with seams inside of them or wearing a shirt with a tag in it. Most people with this struggle also have difficulty wearing certain
types of FABRICS, which tend to make them want to jump out of their skin. Some can also have difficulty with SYNTHETIC FIBERS, which are fibers that are MANUFACTURED by humans through chemical SYNTHESIS (production of chemical compounds by reaction from simpler materials), instead of natural fibers. This gives them the ability to actually identify fiber content in fabric by touching it.
SPELL: FABRICS SPELL: MANUFACTURED SPELL: SYNTHESIS
Experiencing tactile defensiveness means being _____ _____ to touch and the way different textures feel. OVERLY SENSITIVE What are fibers that are manufactured by humans through chemical synthesis instead of natural fibers? SYNTHETIC FIBERS
What might people with tactile defensiveness feel while wearing socks with seams inside of them or wearing a shirt with a tag in it? AGONY OR IRRITATION
Besides clothes, name something else someone might experience tactile defensiveness with.
How important to you is that the clothes you wear are comfortable on your skin, and why?
VAKT: This picture depicts the pain a person with tactile defensiveness feels while wearing certain socks.
Having seasonal change can put people with sensory issues with clothing into a PREDICAMENT (a difficult, unpleasant, or
embarrassing situation).
Some avoid the distraction of changing SENSATIONS (a physical feeling or perception resulting from something that happens to or comes in contact with the body) by wearing the same clothing during all 4 seasons. For example, some might wear pants every day for the whole year, no matter what temperature they are in. However, there are others who don’t experience as many COMPLICATIONS with this and can switch clothes based on what season they are in. People with sensory issues with clothing kind of have their own “UNIFORM,” in a way, because they have certain types of clothes that are very similar and will only wear specific clothes that are comfortable for them.
SPELL: PREDICAMENT SPELL: SENSATIONS SPELL: COMPLICATIONS
Having ____ _____ can put people with sensory issues with clothing into a predicament. SEASONAL CHANGE
Some might wear pants every day for the whole year no matter what ____ they are in. TEMPERATURE
Why do people with sensory issues with clothes have their own “uniform”? THEY HAVE CERTAIN TYPES OF CLOTHES THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR OR WILL ONLY WEAR SPECIFIC CLOTHES COMFORTABLE FOR THEM.
How many seasons are there? 4
Name one of the 4 seasons.
If a person does not have tactile defensiveness, list clothes that they can wear each season.
Some people change their clothes with the seasons, and some wear a “uniform” all year long! How would you describe yourself?
VAKT: Go on Google and type in “thewordsearch.com clothing.” The first link that should pop up is “Clothing – The Word Search.” Press the link to access a clothing word search that the client can do on the computer. You can also copy and paste this link as well: https://thewordsearch.com/puzzle/321/clothing/
Another CIRCUMSTANCE people with sensory issues with clothes have difficulty dealing with is special occasions. It’s expected for people to dress FANCY and CASUAL for events. But how do people with sensory issues with clothes cope with it? It’s very difficult. This type of clothing can feel like the texture is cutting into their skin and rubbing their skin in different places. It can be highly distracting and uncomfortable. This is also UNFORTUNATE for those who want to fully engage in conversation, pay attention to people’s faces, listen to their words, and feel their emotions but can’t because their SENSORY DISTRACTIONS are INTRUDING.
SPELL: CIRCUMSTANCE SPELL: UNFORTUNATE SPELL: INTRUDING
What’s another circumstance people with sensory issues with clothes have difficulty dealing with? SPECIAL OCCASIONS
What are intruding when someone wants to fully engage in conversation, pay attention to people’s faces, listen to their words and feel their emotions but can’t? SENSORY DISTRACTIONS
How is it expected for people to dress for events? FANCY OR CASUAL
Name something someone might wear to a special occasion.
If you could wear your ideal outfit to a special occasion, what would it be?
VAKT: Outfit scenarios: Print a bunch of different types of outfits and give your client a scenario. For example, if you had a job interview, which type of clothing would be most appropriate to wear? Then the client will pick which one they believe fits best for that scenario.
Besides the texture of clothing for people with sensory issues, the smell of clothing can also impact the individual. This has to do with laundry detergent and their FRAGRANCES. When people with sensory issues breathe in the fragrance on clothes, it enters every cell and crosses the BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER. Once this occurs, it makes your NEURAL (relating to a nerve or the nervous system) reaction and your HORMONAL reactions OPERATE from the outside in. People who do not have sensory issues with this might just not like the smell, but for people who do have these sensory issues, the smell can actually cause physical harm, pain, and disruption.
SPELL: FRAGRANCES SPELL: NEURAL SPELL: OPERATE
Besides the texture of clothing for people with sensory issues, the smell of what can also impact the individual. CLOTHING
When people with sensory issues breathe in the fragrance on clothes, it enters every ____ and crosses the blood ___ ___. CELL, BRAIN BARRIER
For people with sensory issues, what can smell cause? PHYSICAL HARM, PAIN, OR DISRUPTION
Name a synonym of fragrance.
If you have a favorite smell, what is it? What smell do you despise?
VAKT: Here are some examples of fragrance-free laundry detergents.
Depending on the individual, tactile defensiveness can either go away over time or be worked on CONTINUOUSLY. It’s important for people to ACKNOWLEDGE this issue that people struggle with and to really understand it. SENSORY FRIENDLY clothing such as seamless clothes, shirts with no tags on them, and clothes that make each individual most comfortable are what’s needed. Some other people have also had success using the technique PATRICIA WILBARGER created called “The Wilbarger Deep Pressure and PROPRIOCEPTIVE (relating to stimuli that are produced and perceived within an organism, especially those connected with the position and movement of the body) Technique,” in 1991. This is a deep-pressure technique designed for people with sensory defensiveness. Everyone has their own sensory system that they have to learn to adjust to. If you can relate to this, as I said before, please remember you’re not alone.
SPELL: CONTINUOUSLY SPELL: ACKNOWLEDGE SPELL: PROPRIOCEPTIVE
What does everyone have their own of that they have to learn to adjust to? SENSORY SYSTEM
Who created the Wilbarger Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive technique? PATRICIA WILBARGER
Name some sensory-friendly clothing. SEAMLESS CLOTHES, SHIRTS WITH NO TAGS ON THEM, OR CLOTHES THAT MAKE EACH INDIVIDUAL MOST COMFORTABLE
What year did Patricia Wilbarger create the Wilbarger Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique? 1991
If Patricia Wilbarger created her technique in 1991 and it’s 2020 now, how many years ago did she create it? 2020-1991= 29 YEARS AGO Name another issue that people struggle with that should be acknowledged more.
If you could describe your relationship with your sensory system in one word, what would it be?
VAKT: On the left, there’s a picture of Patricia Wilbarger’s sensory brush that she created. On the right, we have a picture of Patricia Wilbarger.
CREATIVE WRITING
If you had the chance to create your own sensory-friendly clothing line and got to choose the clothing you could design with different types of fabrics, what would they be? Also, what would the name of your clothing line be, and what would your logo be? What age group
would you design the clothes for, and where would you like to see them being sold?
If you were a superhero and had a superpower to put an end to tactile defensiveness, what would your superhero name be, and what would be the name of your superpower? How would your superpower put an end to tactile defensiveness?
Source:
https://yourkidstable.com/sensory-issues-with-clothing/
https://yourkidstable.com/tactile-sense/
https://thrivewithautism.ca/2013/10/04/why-do-autistics-struggle-with-clean-clothes-and-haircuts/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_fiber
https://sensoryprocessingdisorderparentsupport.com/wilbarger-brushing-compressions.php
