So awhile ago I posted about gathering research toward a children’s line targeting kids with sensory complaints. And then, you know, life happened, which kept me from keeping a consistent update schedule online, but it’s still something very important that I’ve been working toward.
We’ve been meeting with occupational therapists and talking to a variety of people who work with multiple kids - paraeducators, ABA therapists, etc - as well as parents we know, but I’m looking to expand on that beyond just my local options. My mother works at a school on the east coast and so I’ve sent her the questionnaire, but the issue primarily is getting in contact with parents, since she can’t outright ask the children, you know?
So I thought I’d place the questionnaire here. I remember a few people were interested awhile ago, so hopefully they’re still around. And if not, perhaps new viewers will have some input. Thanks!
It’s not fair that children (and adults) are often forced to choose between things that feel right versus things that look right. Clothing is an extension of the body, especially for children, and should therefore feel just as natural and comfortable. With this in mind, I’ve compiled a series of research questions for parents to help me better understand some of the common sensory concerns their children have toward the clothing they’re wearing. With this research, along with conversations with OTs as well as educators and those in the pediatric field, I hope to create a line of clothing that is successful at both comfort as well as style. One shouldn’t have to pick between the two, especially in middle school!
Being as descriptive and detailed as possible will better help me break down a list of key concerns children share, as well as peripheral issues that can be incorporated as well.
Questionnaire after the cut.
what the fuck kind of person holds someone else’s body without their permission?
I mean, I know. I know. My mother used to pin me to the floor, face-down, for hours. But it’s still gross to read. Let the woman flap her fucking hands. You got a problem with her flapping hands? Go hang yourself. Her hands are hers.
I think it’s really interesting (also sad, evidently) to hear feedback from people now that they’re old enough to comment on their childhoods and the various tactics used to “control” and “direct” ASD behaviours. It puts an entirely different perspective on whether the standards by which we raise these kids are actually accomplishing anything other than making them “look normal” for our own benefit and not necessarily theirs. With the best of intentions, but.
I mean. It can’t be so black and white, of course, but I think it’s really great that we’re finally hearing more commentary on the matter aside from “Studies show….” Maybe from it, we’ll be able to figure out a better way of teaching.
As I mentioned when I first started this blog, while I am a fashion design major, my main source of income at this moment is working with a set of ten year old twins. I got this job two summers ago, when I first moved out here with an unpaid internship & needed a job that didn’t require me to pull a five day workweek. I got this job in particular because I’ve spent a lot of time working with special needs children.
The internship ended; I kept the job.
One thing I’ve learned in the past two years is that there is an utter lack of fashionable clothing for children with sensory issues. I mean, scratch that. There’s a significant lack of clothing for children with sensory issues period. That is, children who can’t handle things like a fly front or zipper against their skin. Or fabric that’s too stiff, doesn’t breath right. Too tight, too loose. The complaints are endless. And it’s not just special needs children that have these issues.
Of the few companies that do target this interest, their clothing lines stop at size 7, or 8-10.
This is pretty typical of any company. It’s rare that a company makes clothing for a child’s entire growth into adulthood. There’s a variety of reasons behind that, but it’s usually separated by three or four categories:
• infancy - toddler
• toddler - child
• pre-teen (sometimes)
• teenager
I haven’t been intensely researching for a very long time, but I have been searching for clothing that is BOTH fashionable AS WELL AS comfortable for A (Robin) and there is really not much out there, especially because A is on the cusp of leaving “child” targeted clothes, and entering the next size up - pre-teen.
What would you do if your child couldn’t wear jeans? Forget about itchy wool, what if your kid couldn’t deal with cotton? You send him to school in sweat pants and a nylon top and it doesn’t match, but it’s okay because it’s the only thing he wears without a fit. Let’s not even get into what you do in the winter, when every coat on the planet is too restricting. that’s fine when they’re little (except it’s not), but what about when they are old enough for their peers to notice this? call them out on it?
how is that okay?
Oh my god. At a time when appearance couldn’t be considered any more important to a child, I’ve found that there’s a significant LACK of clothing options AT ALL for these kids.
I think I’m going to do something about it. Or at least, try to. This is precise the worst time for project ideas to begin to develop, with Halloween and costume commissions, but it is a project I feel strongly about and think will take a lot of time to develop. More time than Halloween ideas. It’s something that is probably more important than Halloween ideas, but I do get caught up in that holiday…. hah.
So…. here we go.
If any of you know any parents with kids they have to fight into clothing, you should get a hold of me. message my ask box or submit, with their email included; also facebook or, if you already have my email, that way works as well. I have a questionnaire for them; soon I will set up an email solely for this, but I’m still working the kinks out on it, however.
http://aidanrae.tumblr.com/ask
http://aidanrae.tumblr.com/submit
THANKS!
