March Comes in Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

We’re entering a period of transition that most of us look forward to: the weather grows warmer and the days grow longer. But for kids with sensory processing issues who struggle with change, this can be a hard time too.

As with most challenges your child faces, start by helping her to predict what will happen. Even though it can sometimes snow in April and sometimes warm up in March, you can help your child understand that the seasons are about to shift.

With changes in fabric types and styles, less weight due to fewer layers, and less skin to be covered, your child’s tactile sensitivity may really kick in. For example, your child may now be used to heavy longsleeve sweatshirts worn over thermal longsleeve tees, and a warm woolen coat. This provides a very different feeling from a thin cotton teeshirt and a light jacket. It may be the time to reinstitute the therapeutic brushing program you may have done in the past that really helped to decrease your child’s sensitivity.
Talk about the different clothing your child will be wearing. Take a look now at clothing and see if you need to replace anything from last year. If so, buy it now so you have plenty of time to launder the items several times to soften them up if your child is sensitive to new clothing. Remember to feel for and avoid itchy seams, loose threads, bunched elastic cuffs and waistbands, and scratchy appliques.
Teach your child about Daylight Saving Time, and explain that “Spring Forward, Fall Back” means we set our clocks forward one hour ahead, creating an extra hour of sunlight in the evening. It’s great to have more light each day, but this also tends to interfere with the sleep-wake cycle of sensitive kids who are used to going to bed a certain number of hours after the sun goes down.
You can prepare your child for the time change in advance by adjusting bedtime in small increments. Try to move bedtime back several minutes a day several days in advance so that when the clock changes on Sunday, March 14th, his internal time clock won’t feel as out of whack. Be sure to change all clocks before you go to bed Saturday evening and get everyone up at their regular time Sunday morning.
Focus on fun. After a long winter cooped up in the house, or bundled up to go outside, Springtime is just around the corner! Make plans now for what your child would like to grow in the backyard or in a windowbox. Start talking about all of the fun things your family will be able to do once the warmer weather arrives!