If you have an autistic child who will only wear one outfit you are not alone. This is actually quite a common behaviour.

In this post we explain why your child may have this tendency and give you some ideas as to how you can tackle the issue.

Possible reasons why

There are several reasons why an autistic child may only want to wear one particular outfit

Sensory issues: Autistic children may have sensory processing issues, where certain fabrics or clothing materials can cause discomfort or irritation to their skin.

These sensory concerns can lead to all kinds of behaviours, including touching their privates inappropriately.

Therefore, they may prefer to wear a particular outfit that feels comfortable to them.

Routine: Autistic children often thrive on routine and predictability. Wearing the same outfit every day may provide a sense of familiarity and comfort, making them feel more secure and less anxious.

Difficulty with decision-making: Autistic children may have difficulty making decisions, and choosing what to wear may be overwhelming for them. Wearing the same outfit every day eliminates the need for decision-making.

Special interest: Autistic children may develop a special interest in a particular outfit or character, leading them to want to wear it all the time.

Things to try

Here are some strategies that parents can use to help their autistic child.

Understand the reason: Try to understand the underlying reason why your child only wants to wear a particular outfit. Is it due to sensory issues, routine, difficulty with decision-making, or a special interest?

Understanding the reason can help you come up with appropriate solutions.

Offer choices: Even if your child prefers to wear the same outfit every day, you can still offer them choices within that outfit.

For example, you can offer different colors or styles of the same outfit, so your child can still have a sense of control and choice.

You could even take your child shopping for new clothes so that they feel in control of what they may be wearing.

Introduce gradual changes: If your child is open to it, you can gradually introduce new clothing items or outfits.

Start by introducing small changes, such as a different color or style of the same item of clothing, and gradually increase the changes over time.

Use social stories: Social stories can be helpful in explaining the importance of wearing different outfits in different situations. For example, you can create a social story about wearing different clothes for different seasons or occasions.

Seek support: If your child’s preference for a particular outfit is causing distress or impacting their daily life, consider seeking support from a healthcare professional or therapist who specialises in working with autistic children.

They can provide additional strategies and support to help your child.

Summary – Autistic child will only wear one outfit

An autistic child may only want to wear one particular outfit due to sensory issues, routine, difficulty with decision-making, or a special interest.

Parents can help their child by understanding the underlying reason, offering choices within that outfit, introducing gradual changes and using social stories to explain the importance of wearing different outfits in different situations.