First, let’s look at the physical side. Can my child put a shirt over his head and
pull it on? Can she put on her shoes or
boots correctly? What about maneuvering
snaps, button, zippers, hooks and tying strings in bows? If the answer to any of these questions is
no, then you have two things to do. You
must practice the skills and other fine motor and gross motor exercises that
will develop these. In the mean time, it
is important to find clothes that the child can put on without much help. Our family used coats and shoes with
velcro closures before mastering zippers and tying shoes independently. Certain brands of blue jeans had easier
closures. Back in the day, Gap jeans had
an easy hook instead of a button or snap.
Also, Wrangler jeans had a snap that was much easier than a button. I would love comments of what are some good
brands for this problem.
The second issue is the problem solving side of getting
dressed. Many children with learning
differences struggle with making a decision of what to wear. Questions that a child must answer are
varied. What do I wear? There are too many options for him. It may be hard to make a
choice. How does he decide based on the
weather outside? What shoes, coat, and
clothes are appropriate for the weather?
What clothes are appropriate for today’s activities and schedule? For many learning different children, this
can be overwhelming. An adult needs to
teach them how to do this. Start
simple. It’s probably good to keep it
simple even as skills develop. This will lessen the child’s
anxiety helping him develop confidence and skill in being able to dress himself
without adult help. 
