Parent Tips: Clothing

Claire has been a challenge to dress over the years. I have modified clothing, bought ready-to-wear clothing, and bought made-to-order clothing. Here's a list of things we've tried:

• Overalls, bodysuits and coveralls. Claire has a habit of reaching into her diaper, and the combination of overalls and bodysuits keep her hands out. Bodysuits can be difficult to find in regular stores, but they can be ordered in all sizes and styles from Special Clothes for Special Children and in t-shirt style from Adaptations by Adrian. Adult sizes can also be found at Bodysuit.com and on eBay.
• Tunics and elastic waist pants. Tunics also go in and out of style, but can be found on eBay and online at Hanes. Tunics are long enough to cover Claire's bulky diapers and help keep her hands out of her pants. Elastic waist pants and leggings make diaper changes easier.
• Bandanas -- lots of them! Claire likes to chew on her clothes, and although bodysuits help prevent her from lifting her shirt to chew, she can often pull her collar or neckline up to chew. Bandanas give her something else to chew on, and can be easily changed when wet. We also used them for bibs when she was younger.
• Thumbless mittens or adult sized mittens. Thumbless mittens can be ordered from Special Clothes for Special Children and Adaptations by Adrian. Adult mittens are also good, and sometimes Claire even puts her thumb in the thumb slot, but if she doesn't, they are large enough to fit her entire hand anyway. We attach the mittens to the sleeves of her coat using baby diaper safety pins or mitten clips, and we've also attached them using snaps in the past.
• High top shoes. Claire likes to kick off her shoes, so we've found that lace-up high tops with velcro bands at the top work best.
• Footie pajamas. Claire doesn't tolerate covers on her at night and kicks them off immediately, so we dress her in socks, t-shirts, and footie pajamas to keep her warm. One-piece pajamas also prevent her from getting into her diaper.
• Identification. We ordered terrific heart-shaped pet identification tags from Boomerang Tags with Claire's name and all of our phone numbers. The tags are lightweight and sturdy, and anything can be printed on them. We attach these to Claire's coat zippers with a keyring so she'll have identification if we are ever separated from her. We also purchased mini collar tags from the same company, which have enough room for her name and three phone numbers, and laced them through the laces in her shoes.