Clothing & Getting Dressed
Insisting on specific clothing, discomfort that requires re-dressing, or getting-dressed rituals.
My child changes outfits repeatedly because nothing feels 'right'
Your child stands in front of their closet, pulling on one outfit after another, growing more distressed with each change. They say things like "this doesn't feel right" or "something is off" but can't explain what's wrong. What should take five minutes stretches into thirty or more, and the pile of rejected clothes on the floor keeps growing.
They can only wear certain 'safe' clothes and refuse everything else
Your child has a tiny rotation of "acceptable" clothing — maybe two or three shirts and one pair of pants — and absolutely refuses to wear anything else. You're doing laundry constantly to keep these items available, and you dread the day one of them wears out or gets lost. Buying new clothes feels impossible because everything gets rejected.
Getting dressed takes 30+ minutes because of touching and adjusting rituals
Your child pulls their shirt on, then takes it off and puts it on again. They adjust their socks over and over, tug at their waistband, retie their shoes multiple times, or touch each piece of clothing in a specific sequence. What used to be a simple task now takes half an hour or more, and they become increasingly upset if interrupted or rushed.