Special Education Resources

Clothing Modifications for People with Special Needs

Caring for children with special needs requires much patience, love and energy. Finding clothing that fits your child with his/her special needs can be difficult, expensive and time consuming. You also want your child to feel as independent as possible as they mature but not have their clothing needs make them feel out of place with other children. Why not spend more of your quality time with your child rather than looking endlessly for clothing to fit?

Modifications to clothing for children with special needs can be as varied as the need itself. In order to accommodate a special modification in clothing, you must first identify the difficulty (or hindrance) with current clothing. Imagine the garment as being “mobile,” like a puzzle. Imagine cutting out or removing a puzzle piece at the location of the difficulty (or hindrance). Now, think of ways you can replace that puzzle piece or reattach the garment so that it appears like a normal garment, once you’ve been able to gain access to the site of the special need. (Examples could include: a feeding tube, leg braces, ostomy or access for catheters, etc.) It is important to conceal the “access” you have made in order that the clothing still looks normal and not strange.

Another type of special needs modification pertains to fasteners used in typical clothing. Is it difficult for the child (or caregiver) to put on, open/close, or take off the clothing? Does the child (or caregiver) need frequent access to a particular area (ie. catheter, ostomy pouch, etc.)? Is there a simpler way to gain access to this area? Clothing can be modified to accommodate easy opening or better access via different closures such as Velcro, large snaps, snap-tape, etc. Sometimes it may be that the child does not have the strength or dexterity to manage typical closures like zippers or buttons but can manage a Velcro closure with minimal effort (ie. muscular dystrophy, Down’s Syndrome, developmentally or mentally challenged etc.).

Modifications to children's garments are often made for the benefit of the parent or caregiver if the child is unable to dress himself/herself. This is especially true when the child is in a wheelchair or is restricted in movement. It is much easier to evaluate and determine the modifications that need to be made if you can "envision" the garment as "mobile" - able to "remove" a particular area of the garment to make dressing easier. (Quite often you have limited access only to the front of the body and leg area or need additional fabric in the back to accommodate sitting in a wheelchair most of or all of the time.)

Not all clothing can be modified without negatively affecting the overall appearance of the garment. This is when you may need someone with professional (sewing) expertise to assist you.

In working with parents/caregivers for a child’s special clothing needs, I try to consider several factors which may also be helpful to you.

1. Is there enough fabric in the area to be modified to make the “change” without being too obvious?

2. If not, can the same (or similar) fabric be added to the area to make the modification without negatively affecting the appearance of the garment? (REMEMBER: It is important to your child’s self-esteem to have “normal looking” clothing in order not to accentuate a special need. We are trying to make them more independent not “different.”)

3. How much labor is involved in making the change? Since most seamstresses charge by the hour for modifications, ask yourself, “Is it going to cost more than the cost of the garment to make this change?”

4. Stick to simple styles of clothing – they are easier to modify!

MEET YOUR PAL

Cynthia Robbins started Stitches from the heart after making specialty garments for a few friends who had children with special needs. Stitches from the heart makes specialty clothing for children with special needs and ostomy* products. Her mother taught her and her sister to sew at a young age. Throughout her school and college years, Cynthia developed a true love for sewing and the associated creativity.

After graduating from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina with a Business Administration degree, Cynthia continued her sewing of clothing but added home decorating items like draperies, cornices, dust ruffles, pillows, etc. while working as an Administrative Assistant in office environments. In 1993, Cynthia quit her job as Executive Secretary to the President of a leading hospital to devote her attention full time to Stitches from the heart and accommodating people with special needs. She designs and makes the specialty children's clothes herself and has done many types of modifications for various special needs. Most recently, Cynthia has designed ostomy* undergarments for both men and women which are “patent pending” should be out on the market in the near future.

For information on products and services available through Stitches from the heart, you may access the Web site: http://www.stitchesfromtheheart.com or request a brochure at Stitches from the heart, P.O. Box 472515, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28247, phone number: 704-552-1483.