So occasionally I leaf through my Sensory Processing Disorder Answer Book and randomly read answers to typical questions that are asked of the disorder. Today I opened the book to page 150 and a question immediately jumped out at me: "Why does my child have to strip off all his clothes before he can go poop?" Yes, please tell me why that is because up until this very moment I never associated the odd way that Boy has to go to the bathroom as being sensory processing related. I was so excited that I instantly called my husband and his response was "No kidding?!".
For anyone who knows him, they know that this is definitely a trait of his. While on vacation last year driving to Florida, my Father-in-law volunteered to take him to the bathroom while we were eating breakfast...he quickly came right back out laughing hysterically that Boy had to get completed naked before he could do the deed. I can't wait to share this finding with them!
So the answer, for any of you who also have a similar issue - "...there are two possibilities that he may be experiencing: under-responsiveness or over-responsiveness from tactile/proprioceptive input. If he is under-responsive to sensory input, it may take more concentration than normal for his nervous system to register internal processing such as a bowel movement. Removing his clothes allows him to register that information and go to the bathroom easier. If he is over-responsive to sensory input, it may be overwhelming for him to process the bowel movement as well as take in the sensory input from his clothes. (Some children who are over-responsive remove all of their clothes, turn off the light and demand complete silence)."
Overall, this is a private experience and as such you should always respect the child's wishes when appropriate.
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