Socks are Evil

Does your child refuse to wear socks with seams? Not wear socks at all? Insist socks are evil? This could be a sign your child has ADD. Just kidding.

Really, parents struggle with pinning labels to their kids. Just because a child fidgets, has poor social skills and doesn’t pay attention much, DOES NOT mean he's ADHD. It means they could have SID, short for "sock integration disorder" or sensory integration disorder. Parents with SID usually drink lots of coffee, chew gum like a cow and jiggle their feet during PTA meetings.

Kids With Issues: What Do They Look Like?

1. a mixed up sensory system
2. a dysfunctional digestive tract
3. atypical brain development
4. allergies / asthma

These kids often appear fidgety, itchy, jumpy and emotionally reactive to what appears to be minor stimuli. Part of the problem can be attributed to expressive language problems– if you can’t put your thoughts into sentences, other people won’t know what you want. This is frustrating. Frustration can present itself as a cork popping tantrum or withdrawal.

What Can You Do Immediately?

Besides the regular methods (social skills groups, counseling) we can remove things in the environment that are proven to cause hyperactivity, a mixed up sensory and digestive tract and even differently developing brains.

Eliminate:

1. antimony in pajamas -- buy the long johns vs the chemically treated pjs
2. arsenic in play equipment -- get rid of the old play set and find a cedar one online at Craig's list
3. lead in toys and water
4. mercury in food, water and medicines (lay off the tuna, filter your water, read ingredients)
5. aluminum in baking and self care products, and other metals
6. Also food colors, additives, and other chemical ingredients in foods, self care products and cleaning agents (read labels)
7. Get RID of candy and processed foods

Support your child’s sensory and emotional needs:

1. Swings
2. A scooter if they can't or won't ride a bike
3. Trampoline
4. A sensory diet of gum, squeeze balls, hop balls, pogo sticks, jumping rope, etc.
5. Occupational therapy for sensory integration -- help your child develop motor planning skills
6. Swimming; water play
7. Social skills teaching at home using books and stories about other children,
8. Behavioral supports: 1,2,3 magic and a token economy (nothing is free)

Once we support a child’s weaknesses, they can more easily learn to rely on their strengths to move them into the social world and maybe even WEARing socks.

Another confidence builder is sports. Often we have to be part of the coaching staff or participate actively because many coaches are not tuned in to the needs of children. However, if you can find a sport your child enjoys, this helps build a positive body image and mental confidence. Karate, gymnastics, dancing, plays – these are especially good for children with sensory disorders and the ever-present social and emotional consequences.

Over the years, I’ve observed all kinds of sensory issues with kids: socks inside out; no elastic sleeves, no one in my space; no sharing; no tight clothing; no strong smells; no squishy foods, withdrawal from social interaction….

Don't send your child off to school without letting their teachers know about sensory needs. Educate them if they don’t know. Provide the sensory stimuli to the school – for example, I like moldable erasers -- they’re okay for school because they are fidgets in disguise as erasers. Some schools have a sensory room where your child can go (if they have an IEP) to chill or to write while sitting in a ball pit or on a swing. .5 hours of movement gives your child almost 2 full hours of focus.

As they get older, children will learn to compensate for their weaknesses and they won’t need as much support. Help your child reach that point where you and other adults support the child vs tell them to stop fidgeting or quit the drama. Just hand the child a piece of gum or tell them to "chew on this!"

Next time your child starts to pitch a fit, take a page out of Kirk Martin’s book and “put your feet up on the couch, use a calm and relaxed tone, and begin the process of working with your child to solve the problem.” In the meantime, don't make them wear socks.