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What Causes Tactile Defensiveness?

Tactile defensiveness is a body condition where the person is unable to withstand touch. A person with this condition becomes extremely uncomfortable from a simple pat on the back or a hug. The condition also makes the person unable to differentiate between different textures. A soft object may feel hard for a person with tactile defensiveness.

  1. Further Information

    • Doctors and parents can see the signs of tactile defensiveness as soon as the child as born. If a baby reacts negatively to simple touches or being held, there could be a chance the baby has tactile defensiveness. Tactile defensiveness does not form later in life, so infancy is the best time to figure out if a person has this condition.

    Genes

    • Genes are the central culprit in tactile defensiveness. The genetic code of the person dictates that the nervous system senses and reacts to certain stimuli. A mutation in the genetic codes pertaining to the nervous system makes the person's skin record stimuli differently than a typically normal person. The nerves in the skin records all touches as painful.

    Developmental Problems

    • Since this is a genetic condition and since it is seen at the earliest days of life, tactile defensiveness often causes psychological and emotional problems. An infant becomes accustomed to touch as a painful experience. Eventually, this reaction reinforces itself; since the infant and person is accustomed to pain from touching objects or being touched, the person expects pain. Any possible therapy is potentially hindered because the person with tactile defensiveness is used to touch being painful.

    Associated Genetic Conditions

    • Many individuals who have tactile defensiveness are also diagnosed with other genetic conditions. The most common condition paired with tactile defensiveness is Fragile X Syndrome. Fragile X Syndrome is a form of mental retardation that often affects males because only men have on X chromosome. Fragile X syndrome is also connected, genetically, to some forms of autism. Because of this, both Fragile X and autism are associated with some cases of tactile defensiveness and can often make tactile defensiveness more severe.

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