Sensory Strategies for Dressing Success

My Child is...Low Registration

Touch: apply deep pressure/massage prior to dressing or choose more textured clothing
Movement: place clothing items far away from one another to encourage movement
between items (bear crawls, crab walks, running, wheelbarrow walks, etc.)
Visual: choose brightly colored or contrasting clothing
Auditory: talk/sing through steps of dressing or play music during dressing routine
Taste/smell: use scented lotions before dressing routine
Body position: place clothing to encourage reaching or bending while dressing

My Child is...Sensation Seeking

Touch: choose textured clothing or add accessories (headbands, hats, belts, jewelry, etc.)
Movement: place clothing items far away from one another to encourage movement
between items (bear crawls, crab walks, running, wheelbarrow walks, etc.)
Visual: choose brightly colored clothing or use visual demonstration/aide/mirror for dressing
Auditory: talk through steps of dressing or play music/TV during dressing
Taste/smell: use scented lotions or detergents
Body position: alter dressing patterns each day

My Child is...Sensation Avoiding

Touch: rub your child's body with a towel before dressing, turn undergarments inside out
or select clothing without elastic bands, seams, or tags use fabric softener
Movement: gather and set clothes in one location before dressing
Visual: keep shades drawn or use low lighting during dressing routine
Auditory: turn off radios/TV and develop a set routine to avoid talking during dressing
Taste/smell: use unscented products and detergent
Body position: create a set dressing pattern each day or stay in one body position during
dressing routine (standing, sitting on chair, sitting on bed etc.)

My child is...Sensation Sensitive

Touch: avoid clothing with tight spots (like elastic) or choose more natural fiber clothing
Movement: place clothing at chest level in drawers/shelves
Visual: create an area for dressing that is less visually stimulating and free from visual
distractions, have your child look at you or one object in the room while dressing
Auditory: provide limited verbal cues (only when needed) or turn off radios/TV
Taste/smell: remove air fresheners from dressing room or avoid scented products
Body position: simplify dressing tasks or follow same dressing sequence every day
More Strategies for Dressing Success
General Considerations
Ensure that your child is in a stable and comfortable position while dressing
Ensure that the environment is distraction-free
Sit in front of, next to, or behind your child to provide assistance when needed
Describe actions and body parts while dressing, e.g., "put your right foot in the shoe"
Encourage your child to notice mistakes by looking in a mirror
Try to practice dressing when there is no rush to finish, e.g., practicing on the weekends
instead of before school

Developing Dressing Skills

Backward chaining: you begin the task and let your child complete the last step, gradually
do less of the task until your child can complete all steps independently, e.g., the adult puts
a t-shirt over the child’s head and helps them to get their arms through the holes, the child
then pulls down the t-shirt at the front
Forward chaining: your child does as much of the task as they can, then you complete the
rest of the task (child needs to be motivated to initiate task!), gradually increase the number
of steps the child completes until fully independent, e.g., the child puts each arm in a coat,
the adult buttons up the coat
Hand-over-hand: use your hands over your child’s hands to help complete a task, e.g.,
pulling up socks or fastening a zipper on a coat, but encourage your child to complete as
much as they can by themselves
Taking turns: you complete one step of the task, then your child completes the next step,
you can vary who does which steps day-to-day so that your child learns every step

Managing Difficult Clothing & Fasteners

Socks: tube socks are easier to put on, socks with colored heels and toes can help your
child put them on the right way, roll down the top of socks to make it easier for your child to
put their feet in, socks with loops in the back can help your child pull up their socks
Shoes: cut a large sticker in half and place it inside your child's shoes, your child can line up
the stickers to see if they have their shoes lined up correctly before putting them on
Buttons: practice with large, flat buttons and progress to smaller buttons, talk through each
step of buttoning in terms of what the next step is, e.g., "find the button, open the hole,
push it through, grab the button"
Zippers: attach a key or curtain ring to the end of the zipper to aid your child with their grip
on the zipper pull