I’ve been doing a lot of research on autism over the past few months, and one thing that’s come up repeatedly is the need for more autism friendly products in the marketplace. The problem with this is that, as we all know, there are very few companies who actually make “autism friendly” items – or at least ones that have been tested by autistic people to ensure that they won’t have adverse effects when worn. There are also those companies who use materials that might be problematic for some children with sensory sensitivities, such as PVC and phthalates (which can cause issues with breathing). I’m not saying that these things should never be used, but if you’re going to use them then you should find out which ones are safe for your child first, and then proceed from there.
The other problem is that most clothing is designed for mass production, and it’s really difficult to get any feedback from autistic people about whether or not a particular design will work well for them. If you want to avoid clothes that were made using harmful processes and/or contain potentially toxic substances, you’ll need to start looking at custom designs. I haven’t found a company that has done this yet, so I decided to create my own.
A person can plan to add the neurodiversity t-shirts in their daily life. The main motive of the people is to reach the goals that will give some good results. A person can plan for the best option. The clothes of the person must be such that they increase the overall look.
It all started with a shirt for my son that I wanted him to wear every day. He loves superheroes, and he’s always had an affinity for Iron Man. When I put the shirt together, I thought it was pretty good, except that it didn’t have enough stretch to accommodate his huge frame. Plus, it wasn’t long enough, which meant that he couldn’t button his pants properly. After making numerous versions of it, I finally came up with something that worked for both of us. It was simple, easy to sew, and looked quite nice.
Then I thought of another superhero that would fit into the same category – Batman. My husband and I are huge comic book fans, so I began to collect ideas for t-shirts for each of our kids. While I wasn’t sure how much I’d be able to do with just two shirts, I figured that I could give it a shot. In total, I ended up designing nine different shirts, including shirts for my daughter, her boyfriend, and me. They weren’t perfect, but they did the job, and they were better than anything else I could have bought.
So I went onto Etsy, where I found some great companies that sell shirts that are specifically designed to be autism friendly. Some of them even say that they were created by parents who have a child on the spectrum themselves. You can see some of the designs here.
While I love these designs, I don’t think they’re perfect. For instance, I don’t like the way that the seams aren’t sewn down completely. That means that they’re less likely to stay in place, especially if your kid gets sweaty. Also, since they’re not 100% cotton, they’re usually heavier, which can feel scratchy and uncomfortable.
Another problem is that they tend not to have sleeves. This isn’t a big deal if you live somewhere cold, but if you live in a warm climate, you may find yourself wearing short sleeved shirts that are too hot and too confining. Then again, if you’re living somewhere where the temperature changes drastically throughout the year, maybe having a sweater or sweatshirt underneath isn’t a bad idea either.
As far as I can tell, none of these shirts are made with 100% organic material. That’s fine, though, because I’m not convinced that they’re good for your kid anyway. So while you may save $10 per shirt, you may end up spending more in the long run.
That being said, I’m still happy to recommend these shirts. Most of them look great, and if you shop around you’ll probably be able to find a few that aren’t too expensive. Also, since they’re designed for adults, they won’t restrict your kids’ movement the way that some kids’ clothes can. And lastly, if you happen to get one that doesn’t work for you, you can send it back, no questions asked!
What do you think? Do you have any suggestions for alternative options? Or, if you’re not interested in buying anything yet, what kind of t-shirt would you buy for your autistic child? Let me know in the comments section below!
