How to Recognize Children's Tactile Sense Problems

Children naturally use touch to explore and interact with others. Some children do not have a normal reaction to some types of touch or contact with their body, either being oversensitive or unresponsive. These extremes may represent tactile sensitivity problems. There are a few signs to look for if you think your child may have tactile sensitivity problems.

Instructions

Recognize Tactile Overresponsitivity

1. Think about your child's response to soft touch, such as a stroke on the cheek or a tap on the back. She may flinch or stiffen in response to soft touch.

2. Notice if your child resists having his hair brushed or combed. Also reflect on how he reacts to having the hair on his arms or legs move against the normal direction of growth. He may react adversely to light movement of hair on the body.

3. Watch your child for disproportionate responses to simple falls or scrapes. A child with tactile overresponsitivity may react the same to bump as she does to a serious fall.

4. Look at your child's hands as he approaches a new texture. Children with tactile over responsivity may close their hands and hold them back at the sight of new texture.

5. Observe your child's reaction to tickling. A child with tactile overresponsitivity may seem extremely ticklish compared to other children.

6. Spend time watching your child during messy activities. She may resist engaging in messy activities or may be determined to clean up immediately whenever she gets anything on her.

7. Take note of your child's reaction to tags on clothes or different textures on clothes. He may insist that you remove tags or may resist wearing clothes made of certain textures.

Recognize Tactile Underresponsitivity

1. Think about your child's reaction to being lightly touched or bumped. You may be able to bump into your child or touch her without her even noticing.

2. Reflect on your child's reaction to big falls or painful cuts. She may underreact or even fail to react at all.

3. Notice your child's response to being covered in dirt or food. He may walk around with dirt or food on his mouth without ever trying to remove it.

4. Watch your child in novel settings. Notice if your child ignores or neglects to touch things that most children would be drawn toward.

5. Observe your child's play with other children or pets. She may be overly rough without realizing that she's hurting them.

6. Take note of your child's reaction really hot and spicy foods. He may not be bothered by strong tastes, in fact, he may crave strong tastes.

7. Recognize that your child may not react to extreme changes in weather. She may not note that it's very cold or very rainy.