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What Is Tactile Defensiveness?

Tactile defensiveness is an oversensitivity to touch that often occurs in children with disabilities. People with tactile defensiveness react with strong negative emotion to even light touches. Research points to problems with sensory integration as the cause of tactile defensiveness.

  1. Description

    • A. Jean Ayres, an occupational therapist, was the first to describe the theory of sensory integration, a study in the AAHBEI News Exchange reports. According to Ayres, sensory information—touch, sight, sound, movement and taste—is like food for the brain. As the digestive system processes food to nourish the body, the brain must process sensory information. Sensory integrative disorders such as tactile defensiveness are caused by a malfunction of this system, just as a malfunction of the digestive system causes indigestion.

    Traits

    • Children with tactile defensiveness live in constant stress because their brains interpret even the most harmless touch as something threatening. They are often aggressive or withdrawn and have difficulty with daily routines. They may have difficulty forming friendships if they lash out at what other people interpret as a friendly or harmless touch.

    Signs

    • Children with tactile defensiveness only may tolerate certain textures of fabric for their clothes or reject certain foods because of how they feel in the mouth. They may struggle against daily routines, such as brushing their hair or teeth. When playing, they may avoid touching objects with anything but the very tips of their fingers. On the other hand, they may seek out soothing touches and sensations, such as bear hugs or pressure on the back, which contrast to lighter touches.

    Related Issues

    • Tactile defensiveness can be a symptom of developmental disabilities and learning disorders, such as Down syndrome, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and autism. It may occur alongside other symptoms, such as bed-wetting, sleeping problems, difficulties with hand-eye coordination, digestive problems and anxiety. For most children with disabilities, tactile defensiveness does not persist beyond early childhood.

    Treatment

    • Therapy to repair the sensory integration problems is necessary to treat tactile defensiveness. Gentle exposure to tactile sensations will help children with tactile defensiveness learn to process sensory information and better adapt to situations they once avoided. Exactly how therapy works and which sensations are involved depends on the patient. An occupational therapist will help tailor sensory integration therapy to a child's needs.

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