Tactile Defensiveness ...what can we do?

This week I'm looking at Sensory  Processing issues.  You may want to read some of my previous posts before reading this week's articles...start here.

Tactile Defensiveness has been describe as a pattern of observable behavioural and emotional responses, which are aversive, negative and out of proportion, to certain types of tactile stimuli that most people would find to be non-painful (Lane & Royeen, 1991). 

Our body interprets touch sensation for discrimination (what is touching and where) or danger (central nervous processing fight or flight).  Kids who experience tactile defensiveness often find certain textures to be "painful" and will avoid them or become distressed.

---

This post will outline some general strategies that you may try at home or in the classroom. Mailloux (1992) describes these strategies as a way you can help your child to normalise the way the nervous system registers and interprets touch information.  

---

At home:-

• Use firm pressure when touching your child rather than light touch;
• Massage with straight, downward firm pushes on the top of the head or on both shoulders.
• Give big heavy bear hugs.
• Avoid touching or approaching your child from behind;
  
• Make sure your child can see you before giving them an instruction;
• Avoid clothing fabrics which appear irritating;
• Encourage your child to brush their own body with a natural sponge during bath time;
• Incorporate "heavy work" activities throughout the day. 

At preschool or school:-

• Avoid touching or approaching your child from behind;
  
• Make sure your child can see you before giving them an instruction;
• Allow a child to go first or last in a line to minimise tactile contact with others;
• When using physical prompts, instructions or guidance, use a firm touch;
• Use markers to help designate personal space when sitting on the floor or allow the child to choose their position;
• Provide a quiet corner for the child to retreat to when required;
• Incorporate "heavy work" activities throughout the day. 

"Hanging around" is heavy work.

"Heavy work" activities refer to activities where the body has input to the muscles and joints.  It can relate to the whole body (pushing, pulling, lifting, playing and moving), the mouth (chewing, sucking and blowing) or using hands (squeezing, pinching, fidgeting).  Heavy work activities are generally recognised as a way to help children improve attention, arousal level, body awareness, muscle tone as well as decreasing defensiveness.

Some examples of "heavy work" activities include swinging on the monkey bars, erasing a whiteboard, putting chairs onto desks, carrying a heavy backpack, chewing on chewing gum, pushing against a wall, jumping on a trampoline, etc. 

Occupational Therapists may use additional strategies to address tactile defensiveness as a part of an overall sensory program.  This might include brushes to aid sensory input, weighted vests, a scooter board, therapy ball or a body sock.

Sensory Processing can be a complex issue to understand with lots of jargon.  Seek an individual Occupational Therapy assessment if your child appears to be having difficulties processing the sensory information in their environment to perform daily activities at home or actively participate in the classroom.

Therapy ball activities used as a part of a sensory program.

Lane, S. & Royeen, C. (1991). Tactile processing and sensory defensiveness. In Fisher, Murray, & Bundy (eds.), Sensory Integration Theory and Practice. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Mailloux, Z (1992). Tactile Defensiveness: Some People are More Sensitive. Sensory 
Integration Quarterly, Vol XX, No.3, pp 10-11