Adapted Activities for Children Who Are Hyposensitive and/or Hypersensitive to Tactile Stimuli

Tactile information, or the experiences derived from receptors in the skin, are relayed to the brain and processed by somesthetic or somatosensory systems. According to Kranowitz (2005), the touch system layers our bodies and gives us information about surrounding physical entities. Moreover, it works as the physical barrier between ourselves and the environment. This sense has a significant role in developing a child’s feeling of being loved and secure, motor planning, body awareness and so on.

Some children with sensory modulation disorder (SMD) react adversely or negatively, or display escape-like behavior on being touched, hugged, or kissed or when they are asked to touch objects or fabrics that are needed in play, learning or in performing every day activities. This is due to an oversensitive tactile system, which is usually referred to as tactile defensiveness.

Children who are tactile defensive may experience emotional and self-regulation problems along with difficulties in performing gross and fine motor coordination tasks, speech and language delays, dizziness, confusion, feeling overwhelmed and motor planning problems.

A child who is hyposensitive to touch because of low registration may display seeking behaviors due to a need for extra tactile input. That is in order to better process tactile stimuli such as pressure, vibration, temperature, etc. Such a child is very active and is usually is blamed for misbehaving. Not all kids are distinctly tactile seekers or avoiders. Certain kids may show a mixture of these reactions, because their reactions can change based on their level of arousal or how well they are able to self-regulate.

In the presentation, a variety of unique tactile activities will be displayed. These activities are aimed to improve touch acceptance and promote tactile awareness in a pleasant way.