I’m not a neglectful parent – Autistic sensory differences

Public service announcement!!!!

If you see a child or adult “inappropriately dressed” please use a level of curiosity around why!

Winter is hard! The cold, the dark.

Winter is particularly hard when you have sensory differences that make clothing, layers, gloves, socks, cold, the warmth/feel of central heating, shop blower heating, car heat etc feel unbearable and overwhelming. Sensory trauma is common and real!

This is made doubly hard when people then judge you or your parenting on attire! Or warmth choices!

My child was asked 5 times yesterday “are your feet not cold”. This social demand causes so much anxiety, because being a semi verbal child they are expected to respond. But the truth of it is, a)thankfully they don’t feel the cold too much but b) even when they do, the sensory distress caused by socks and anything except a pair of croc sandals is too much! The cold is more tolerable than “appropriate” footwear.

“Inappropriate” footwear alongside no coat gets some looks while walking along icy pavements!

Of course I’m a neglectful parent! And forcing my child to be in constant distress by wearing clothes which would lead them to never leaving the house would be “good” parenting! (Sarcasm)

(The sad thing is this level of sensory sensitivity was caused by autistic burnout which the LA still argue isn”t “real” in my child’s case!!! But that’s a whole other post!!)

So please be curious and sensitive, without jumping to neurotypical conclusions.