# Kids who don't like to wear clothes



## MarineWife (May 1, 2004)

My 3yo ds does not like to wear clothes. He doesn't fight when I tell him he needs to get dressed so we can go somewhere, but when we are home he completely undresses. I don't really mind except that it can be a pain if we have to leave the house several times in one day and I have to redress him every time. He also takes his shoes off in the car, which can get annoying when we have to go get out of the car several times. My 16yo was the same way except that he had specific complaints about specific types of clothes, like the seam on socks, long sleeves, shirts being too tight around his neck, would only wear loose, jersey type cotton boxers.

I'm wondering how normal this is because the pediatrician has decided it's a sign that my ds has sensory integration disorder. I can see how my oldest ds probably had/has some sensory issues since he had specific complaints. I don't, however, see the same behaviors to the same extent in my 3yo. He doesn't complain about specific things like tags or seams or certain fabrics. He just likes to be naked. I've been told that sensory disorders can run in families. The thing is they have different fathers. I can see the same types of issues in my 16yo's father so I assumed his issues came from his father.

(I didn't post this on the special needs board because I want to know if it's normal for kids without any disorder or other diagnoses.) So, is anyone else's kid(s) like this but don't have any other issues?


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## RachelSerena (Aug 4, 2006)

my 3 yo is the EXACT same way. She just doesn't like to be dressed at home.

I was this way too as a child. So I think it's normal


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## chel (Jul 24, 2004)

my dd also was naked as much as possible at that age. My childless sis thought dd would never wear clothes. I do think dd has SID but when I talked to the ped I was told as long as I could deal with it there was nothing to do for it. my dd refused to wear anything around her waist (pants, panties, skirts, etc) she lived in dresses and overalls when she wore clothes.

Luckily I just let her wear what she wanted and eventually she started putting on more types of clothing. Living in the south she wore flipflops a lot to make putting on shoes easier. even now, we have lows in the 30's and even 20's and she still wears her crocs to school and wears just panties around the house and to sleep in.


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## joy2bmom (Aug 3, 2006)

Another vote for "its normal"
My dd doesn't like to wear anything, she has even tried to take her clothes off in the restaurant







We hardly go anywhere "with" shoes on, we used to put shoes on her but we gave up cuz they come off as soon as we get in the car


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## bdavis337 (Jan 7, 2005)

I have a sensory sensitive toddler and a "typical" 6 yo. BOTH of them like to be naked as often as possible, and my TYPICAL son is the one who complains about shirt tags! If the clothing sensitivities are a stand-alone item, then I'd say, IMHO, that it's not a big deal. If part of a larger package, then yes, consider it something possibly sensory related.


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## cottonwood (Nov 20, 2001)

Nah, that's silly. I have four children, and one with sensory issues. _All_ of them were nudists up until at least age 4. My current three-year-old is constantly removing her clothes and shoes, and she definitely does *not* have sensory issues.


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## amcal (Jan 13, 2003)

I have the nakedest kids God ever made. They are 4.5 and 5.5 and I can't keep clothes on those kids. I couldn't care less but the older they get, the more it's starting to bother DH so I make sure they wear panties when he's around.

They love to be nudie so much that even when I put jammies on them to go to bed, sometime during the night they strip down and they always come downstairs in the morning naked. It cracks me up


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## LynnS6 (Mar 30, 2005)

It's only a sign of sensory integration disorder (aka sensory processing disorder) if there are OTHER signs that go along with it. Not wanting to wear clothes can be a sign, but if it's the only one, then I'd chalk it up to just being sensitive.

I would read:
The Highly Sensitive Child (about 'typically' sensitive children')
The Out of Sync Child (about sensory processing disorder)

I've got one highly sensitive child (dd - 3) and one with sensory processing disorder (ds - 6). It's not the being bothered by clothes that got us to seek help for ds - it was being terrified of noises, didn't know what to do with his body and a few other things. Actually ds HATED to be naked. He wanted to wear long pants and long sleeves all the time.

Dd -- my highly sensitive child is always naked. She just doesn't like to wear clothes. She hates to be hot or constricted. She has highly sensitive skin, and gets rashes easily. I don't blame her for not wanting to wear clothes. I don't care if she does or not.


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## MarineWife (May 1, 2004)

Ok. Thanks everyone. We've got a referral to OT for a SID evaluation but I've been told it could take months to get in. I really don't think my ds has it, though, because he doesn't have any problem behaviors, nothing that interferes with his daily life and activities. I took him to the ped for food allergies and left with this referral. Of course, now I'm noticing every little behavior and wondering.

He is very aware of other people seeing him naked. He got upset when I let some of his older brother's friends in the house before he had pants on. He ran around hiding and yelling, "Not yet! I don't have any pants!"


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## Marlet (Sep 9, 2004)

DD1 has been naken so often that two people I know asked if I ever put clothes on her.







Yes I do, she just knows how to get out of them.

I was a nudie when I was a kid. DD1 is a nudie. DD2 likes being naked as well and she's 2 months. Totally normal to me.


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## Nature (Mar 12, 2005)

My 4.5 year old is naked all the time. She often tries to take her clothes off in public as well. She is being tested soon by an occupational therapist for SPD, however her nakedness is not the _only_ thing concerning. Just one of many.


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## sosodancing (Aug 2, 2011)

My son loves to be naked at home too. He's almost 4. That is not the problem. When leaving the house he only wants to wear shorts and t shirts and no coat. I feel like I should insist he dress a some what warm as its 35-50 degrees these days. Or do I flex and accommodate? He says pants feel too long around his ankles. He'll sometimes wear them but want to change into shorts once we arrive at our destination or roll up his pants. Or he wants to wear high waters from when he was little. Feeling like I don't know where my mommy boundary is on this. He's super upset, kicking and screaming about things if I insist. Feels really hard.


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## stormborn (Dec 8, 2001)

What the...? Totally normal, and your ped sounds like he or she has some issues. I don't think I've ever known a toddler who preferred clothing to naked. Let's be honest here: clothing pretty much sucks and who likes scratchy seams and tags that poke your neck?!
Your little guy is way ahead on the modesty compared to my kids, who didn't care who saw them at three.


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## sbarr_NY (Oct 19, 2010)

Yayyyyyy for the nudie butt child...it doesn't last long. I agree that the ped sounds overboard.

My DD is 5 and is still going skyclad. I think the day she decides she doesn't want me seeing her naked will be more poignant than her moving out to attend college. It sounds like your son has an advanced sense of social modesty by hurrying to get dressed when friends arrive at the house, but just has a preference not to wear clothes.

Unless there are specific, obvious preferences like your older son, relax and enjoy the show.


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## geemom (Nov 30, 2011)

yes, it could be a sign. I would watch for other signs if they should happen to pop up, and if not, then, great. Even if your pediatrician has decided this and you disagree, it should not be an issue since pediatricians do not treat SPD/SID etc as far as I know. If you are referred out for occupational therapy you could or could not follow up with the referral. Good luck!


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