Tactile defensiveness in children – symptoms, causes, recommendations, and exercises

Tactile hypersensitivity is a sensory integration disorder. It makes simple, everyday activities such as hugging, getting dressed, brushing teeth, or brushing hair a major challenge. People diagnosed with tactile defensiveness try to minimize activities that cause discomfort. This leads to difficulties with maintaining hygiene, eating certain meals, and using specific objects. In our article, you will learn how tactile hypersensitivity in children is treated.

What is tactile hypersensitivity (tactile defensiveness) in children?

Contrary to popular belief, tactile hypersensitivity in infants is a common problem. A baby may show an aversion to breastfeeding. They may also cry loudly during diaper changes, baths, brushing, getting dressed, or cutting nails. Often, a mother is unable to soothe the baby because tactile defensiveness makes the child dislike the hugs that bring comfort to their peers.

Specialists emphasize that tactile hypersensitivity is being diagnosed in an increasing number of people. Parents concerned about their children's behavior are reaching out to psychological and pedagogical counseling centers. Young people react with crying, irritation, and sometimes even aggression to washing their hair, getting dressed, and introducing foods with certain textures. This causes a range of complications. Maintaining a child's hygiene becomes difficult. Their food selectivity leads to nutritional deficiencies. Tactile hypersensitivity also makes it difficult to build close relationships with other people—parents, grandparents, and peers. Sometimes children refuse to participate in certain games and activities, e.g., they do not like getting their hands dirty with modeling clay.

Tactile defensiveness is a type of sensory integration disorder. A person's brain is constantly receiving various stimuli from the external and internal environment, which carry valuable information. In most people, these are read and integrated, which enables specific actions to be taken. In contrast, in children with tactile hypersensitivity, certain irregularities occur during the analysis of incoming data. It should be noted here that there are two types of touch: protopathic and epicritic. The former informs about danger and serves as a signal to initiate defensive actions. The latter, however, allows for the differentiation of tactile stimuli.

Children diagnosed with tactile defensiveness treat every stimulus as a protopathic touch. It is no wonder they react with crying, fleeing, irritability, and even aggression. Their brain incorrectly reads the situation as a danger, which leads to behavior that is inappropriate for the situation.

Tactile hypersensitivity is a significant problem because the skin is the largest organ of the human body. It contains a multitude of receptors that are responsible for receiving tactile stimuli—pressure, cold, and heat.

Tactile hypersensitivity – symptoms

Do you suspect your child has tactile hypersensitivity? Symptoms of this sensory integration disorder include:

• avoiding hugs, kisses, and other physical forms of affection,
• a negative attitude towards playing in a sandbox,
• problems with breastfeeding in infants,
• food selectivity and avoiding dishes with specific textures (too soft, hard, greasy, sticky, etc.),
• avoiding activities that involve touching the face,
• protesting against getting haircuts or nail trimming,
• crying in situations where hands get dirty,
• aversion to drying skin with a towel,
• a negative attitude toward brushing teeth,
• avoiding things that can soil the skin,
• an aversion to washing and brushing hair,
• avoiding tight clothing,
• complaining about labels, seams, and the texture of clothing materials,
• irritation caused by certain wardrobe elements and accessories—belt straps, jewelry, sandal straps,
• a negative attitude towards elastic bands and underwires,
• avoiding direct contact of bare feet with the ground (floor, grass, sand),
• avoiding things with a soft or rough structure,
• aversion to cosmetics and ointments due to their sticky consistency.

Tactile defensiveness occurs not only in young children. It very often plagues adults who have not undergone sensory integration therapy. Some of them mask their problems perfectly to avoid rejection and social ostracism. Tactile hypersensitivity produces less noticeable symptoms in them. However, suppressing anger and irritation is not healthy and leads to psychosomatic symptoms.

Causes of tactile hypersensitivity

Has your child been diagnosed with tactile hypersensitivity? The causes of this sensory integration disorder are not fully understood. It is currently assumed that tactile defensiveness is associated with:

• perinatal hypoxia,
• premature birth,
• lack of sufficient sensory stimulation in childhood,
• cesarean section,
• the mother's addiction to substances and their use during pregnancy,
• taking certain medications by the mother during pregnancy.

What else can cause tactile hypersensitivity? Autism is a developmental disorder often accompanied by an aversion to certain fabric textures, hugging, and foods with a specific consistency. Today, we know that this results from the different functioning of certain areas of the brain.

Furthermore, tactile hypersensitivity is one of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD and high sensory processing sensitivity. There are ongoing academic discussions as to whether highly sensitive people are a separate group. Some of them are diagnosed with autism or ADHD. Some receive a double diagnosis.

Exercises for tactile hypersensitivity

If your child has been diagnosed with tactile hypersensitivity, sensory exercises may prove helpful. However, it is recommended not to implement them on your own. It is better to first turn to a psychological-pedagogical counseling center and benefit from the knowledge of an experienced specialist. They can recommend specific exercises for a parent to perform with the child at home. Sensory therapy tailored to the young person's needs also yields very good results.

A frequently used game is searching for treasure. Sand or jelly should be poured into a bucket, and small objects should be hidden inside. The young person's task is to immerse their hand and find them.

Another game that enjoys great popularity is "eating colors." The child draws a colored piece of paper, which determines the color of the meal. The young person chooses products in that shade and prepares dinner with their parent. After eating, they rate the dish of that color and describe their sensations.

Tactile hypersensitivity – what does treatment look like? Main recommendations

If your child has been diagnosed with tactile hypersensitivity, treatment should be based on sensory therapy. Each problem must be addressed individually. The specialist consulting with the young person notices the details that influence the choice of the appropriate method.

Every parent knows what a major problem tactile hypersensitivity is. Sensory therapy, which takes place under the supervision of an experienced specialist, can help with the integration of incoming stimuli. It should take place in an atmosphere of play, as this is when it is most effective. Usually, a sensory therapist advises parents to perform specific exercises between sessions.

Many children have developed tactile hypersensitivity. How do you treat this condition when the young person resists? First and foremost, one must never force them to do anything. When a choice is provided, there is a greater chance of completing the exercise. For example, children should massage their arms, legs, and buttocks with balls of different textures and levels of elasticity. However, they should not be forced to use a specific toy. Let them choose it themselves from several available options.

What should clothing for children with tactile hypersensitivity be like?

Tactile defensiveness is a major problem in everyday life. It affects, among other things, the choice of cosmetics, clothing, games, meals, and ways of showing affection. Clothing for children with tactile hypersensitivity should be made of soft, smooth, and pleasant-to-the-touch fabrics. It cannot press against the young person's body anywhere, which is why looser cuts are recommended.

The clothing must breathe, so only natural materials and those derived from chemically processed cellulose are suitable. Polyester, acrylic, and polyamide will increase the feeling of heat and general irritation.

In the case of older children diagnosed with tactile hypersensitivity, respect their opinion. Do not buy them scratchy sweaters, turtleneck blouses, off-the-shoulder dresses, etc. Remove labels from every item. Pay attention to the seams—smooth ones work best.

Toys supporting sensory integration

Has your child been diagnosed with tactile hypersensitivity? Recommendations often include games that support sensory integration. For some, you can use a bucket, sand, and everyday items. Others require acquiring professional toys.

We especially recommend our classic swings, reclining swings, baby cradles, and graphomotor boards. The latter are extremely helpful in learning to write. In the Smart Memories store, you will find high-quality sensory integration toys made from natural and safe materials. You can use them both for working with a child diagnosed with tactile defensiveness and with a toddler who does not have symptoms of a sensory integration disorder. Proper stimulation will positively influence their development and minimize the risk of future problems with fine motor skills and sensory integration.