Tight Clothing = Itchy

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Anyone else having this problem, when I wear tight clothing it itches me. We're having a clothing dilemna. J-bird is kind of small and tinny, and we can't put in oversized baggy clothes. But if we get him anything to tight it's itchy. I understand I am the same way. However, is there any way we can convince him to just deal with it for now? Until we get something more loose fitting, his old clothes are really faded. And if we left it up to him he'd wear those. But it's a new year, new school year, and all of that time for a new warddrobe and get out the old ones. I know that part will also be very difficult. Every old shirt with holes or fades or decals dissapearing he needs it, hahaa.

I had a cousin who only wore oversized cotton t-shirts and sweat pants for years because everything that "touched" was itchy. She also had eczema, and tight clothes seemed to exacerbate the problem as well. She loved hand me downs and shopping the used clothing stores as the shirts were already soft. If we found a brand that worked, we bought one in every color and extras of her favorite colors since we knew she would not wear anything that didn't work. She would just wear the same clothes until they fell apart otherwise. It was worth it to pay more money for the softer cotton shirts and protected seams. She finally wears button up pants as an adult to work, but only to work.

That's just the thing he may not be able to 'just deal with it.' I know if I was having to wear itchy clothes dealing with it would consist of constant severe discomfort which would interfere with any activity I attempt and cause a lot of distraction and irritation. I would suggest trying to get him some clothes that fit as soon as you can....and for now maybe dig up the nicest looking less tight clothes and let him wear those and just get rid of the really ragged looking ones.

Also you can get massive amounts of decent clothes at thrift stores......I'm sure you could find some things that fit, or if you prefer full price clothes it's up to you I just know I don't like to spend a lot on clothes.

I have a lot of eczema and psoriasis. And certain materials bother my skin. But sometimes I have to look at it logically if they don't have what I have and I need something, I might have to get it even if I don't like it....so yeah...I kind of...it's already a nightmare to shop for myself I have all my particuliars and then add in my brothers and it becomes a mild explosion of overwhelming porportions over clothes. We had a cry moment at the store, which generally J-bird doesn't do very oftent at 14 it's looks weird people give me weird looks. But I understand his frustrations I have had cry moments before just shopping for myself. I will, however, never subject anyone to the torture of wool or knitted sweaters, just no. We try our hardest to find 100% cotton shirts. It's the most delicate for sensitive skin.

Why not just let him pick out his new clothes?

He'll try to find reasons to keep the old clothes. And he is like me. After a while I get so frustrated that I can no longer make a decision. So after a while, when he's just looking by himself he sort of gives up. I am more like a guider than I am picking his clothes for him. Just sometimes there are those outfits or choices that are like O.O. We have moments like that sometimes.

I'll second the idea of buying clothes at thrift stores: not only are they cheaper, they're "broken in."

Have you ever tried just buying them for him, washing them, and putting them in with his other clothes?

It's hard sometims to deal with uncomfortable clothes. Sometimes it's just not possible. They are very distracting. I used to have meltdowns as a kid when they tried to make me wear something uncomfortable. They would finally give up and let me wear what I wanted or we just wouldn't go. It was much easier and my grandmother was too old to deal with all that she said.

Eventually, when I got in 6th grade, those tight designer jeans became very popular. I wanted some. They bothered me to no end, but I wore them to school anyway, day after day. I wore them so tight that I had to lay on the bed and zip them up with a coat hanger. Thats how all the grls wore them. I eventually learned to adjust to them and not notice them but it took weeks. I think it was a combination of more maturity and also my own desire to wear them. It wasn't someone else making me wear them. I was very aware that they would bother me every second I had them on, but I was very determined to do it anyway. I am probably one of the most hard headed people in the world and I was very determined, plus they were Gloria Vanderbilts, right after they came out. Very expensive jeans back then.

I think that if your son decides he wants to wear something that bothers him, but the desire for wearing it is strong enough for him to try and do it anyway, he may be able to learn to deal with some things. But it has to be his idea, and he has to want to do it for his own reasons. It also may take some time. It took me weeks and weeks to not notice uncomfortable stuff. He also may not ever decide to wear something that's not comfortable for him. Boys are different about clothes, and they may never matter to him.

Nowdays, I can usually wear something uncomfortable if I like it enough, but when I am very stressed or overwhelmed I can't. It's just too much input. It's like I have the input from the clothes there all the time, screaming at me to pay attention to it. I can eventually tune it out if I have things to do, etc. But when there is a lot of stress in my life or things are just "too much" then the input from the clothes combined with all the other input is something I can't stand. I will have to go change clothes and find something comfortable. So, he may be able to wear something that's not just right at some times, but not at others.

BTW, I have AS.

Um, I don't really like wearing dry-fit clothes because they tend to make me itch. I wear cotton whenever possible.
(When I have no choice but to wear dry-fit clothes, I change into cotton clothes as soon as I reach home.)

I've never worn anything but T-shirts and jean shorts for years. Even when I was scary thin, I was still buying XXX large shirts. I always just cut the tags out of my shirts anyway. Ever since I had hernia surgery at three, I've always had issues with things touching my waist. I can only wear pants with a "fly". I've also never worn any actual "pants" in years ever. I have this weird issue with my knees and feel as if I will faint if something touches them. As I said, I can't stand things touching my waist, so I buy large size shorts too.

I like to shop online for DS's clothes, so I don't have to schlep him from store to store. He's a difficult size, so it would be miserable.

Once you know the basics, like size and 100%cotton, you can then read the reviews to hear what other peop,e say about the clothes. I am always surprised at the degree of detail peop,e write. So, it's fairly easy for me to figure out if something is soft, scratchy, shrinks too much, whatever.

I only shop online at stores that I can easily return the items to if they don't work.

Another thing I do is shop alone and pick out items that I think would work, being sure I can return them. Then, we do the try ons at home, figure out what worked and what didn't, return the ones that didn't work and purchase more of what did work.

When you do it that way, you can try on one thing at a time, without all of the sensory stressors at the store. I really can't handle that well and I'm nt with no sensory issues. I can't imagine what that's like for my son.

I liked to get my clothes at thrift stores because they were worn and washed and soft (other than underwear and bras...hate bras btw I wear tank tops). Now I get most of my clothes at Forever 21 because they are all soft and thin...I can layer them and it doesnt bother me. I also have some French Terry pants that are warm and soft. I love anything soft like minky. I have a minky blanket that I sleep with....right now I need two and lots of clothes because its so cold. I have fluffy minky socks too. I have a lot of tactile sensory issues, I am very good at cutting off tags and trimming seams without destroying the clothes which is good because my kids are the same as I am. Old clothes feel good...take him to a thrift store .

Can you get him the clothing he has now outgrown in a bigger size, same brand, same material? Example, my dd only wore "tall" zipper converse shoes and long hanes socks, so every year I would just buy the next size up. Now she also likes wearing "pretty" dress shoes, that she tries on and picks out.

Soon dd will be going to junior high, so I have been talking to her about - the Jr High way. Meaning, it is in her best interest to wear "jeans", eat a variety of foods, and take better care of personal hygiene.

Also, If you do find new clothing that feels good to him, I would by the same item in his current size, different colors and in a bigger size for next year. Just wash it with a fabric softener and wash it again with plain water before making him wear it. You can also try online shopping, just return what doesn't fit or work.

Like others mentioned, I would also check out thrift shops, though the smell bothers me, the clothing is cheaper, softer, there isn't a sales person asking to help you every 5 minutes, and it isn't crowded.

These are my concerns with thrift stores:

1. Scabies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scabies

2. Fleas of any kind

3.Head Lice

etc.

And the same fear goes to regular stores, but it occurs less because someone didn't wear it before.

How about going to the store and picking out some clothes you think he might like then bringing them home for him to try on. If something doesn't work then you can return it. When you find something he likes the do as someone else suggested, but multiples and other colors. I would also buy the next size up. While he's waiting to grow into the next size you can keep washing them to make them softer and more like the smaller size so the transition to new clothes will be easier. Pants and shorts are pretty easy to sew. You could have him pick out the fabric and sew them yourself or ask someone else to do so.

All of these issues are easy to address, especially if you are buying washable cotton clothes; none of these things survive washing and drying machines, provided you use hot water and a heated drying cycle. I never try on thrift store clothes; I figure that we'll have a certain failure rate and that's part of why the clothes are cheap. I take them home, wash them, and THEN try them on, and just re-donate the ones that didn't work out.

Alternatively, none of these things survive without oxygen or contact with a host - if you buy something you think won't survive a hot water wash, seal it in a plastic garbage bag, squeeze out all the air and tie a knot in the top. Leave it for two or three days. (you should still was them or have them dry-cleaned.)

I've been shopping at thrift stores since I was in college, and never had trouble with any of the above.