Making Sense Of Sensory - Week 2: Understanding the Sense of Touch ✋

The sense of touch - also called tactile processing - helps us interpret pressure, texture, temperature, and pain. It plays a huge role in everything from tying shoelaces to recognising comfort, danger, or even personal space.

When someone is neurodivergent, their brain might process tactile input differently -either more intensely (over-sensitive) or with less awareness (under-sensitive). Let’s explore both.

Touch Over-Sensitive (Sensory Avoidant) 🔴

Someone who is over-sensitive to touch may find everyday sensations overwhelming, uncomfortable, or even painful. This is sometimes referred to as tactile defensiveness.

They might:

• Avoid messy or sticky play (like paint or mud)

• Dislike certain clothing textures, seams, or tags

• Become upset when touched unexpectedly

• React strongly to activities like hair brushing or nail trimming

• Find crowded spaces uncomfortable due to incidental contact

  
  

How to support a touch avoider:

• Let them choose clothing that feels comfortable - seamless, soft, or tag-free options can help

• Use gentle, softening detergent and remove clothing tags

• Give a warning before any touch (e.g., “I’m going to touch your arm now”)

• Ask consent before any touch (e.g., "is it ok for me to give you a hug?")

• Offer ways for them to control there sensory experience, especially when a task need to be carried out (e.g., instead of brushing their hair for them ask "Would you like to brush your hair or would you like me to do it for you?")

• Use deep, firm touch instead of light touch-light contact can feel irritating or startling

• Offer tools like fidgets, gloves, or chewable necklaces to provide calming tactile input on their terms

• Create safe zones at home or school where they can be free from unexpected touch

Touch Under-Sensitive (Sensory Seeker) 🔵

Someone who is under-sensitive to touch may crave more input than others and might not even register certain sensations unless they’re very strong.

They might:

• Constantly touch people, objects, or textures

• Seek out hugs, squeezing, or tight spaces

• Seek out certain fabrics or materials

• Bang into things or people without noticing

• Appear to ignore pain, bruises, or injuries

• Chew on objects like pencils, clothing, or toys

  
  

How to support a touch seeker:

• Offer deep pressure input regularly (if desired) : tight hugs (if welcomed), rolling up in a soft mat, wearing tight fitting clothing or massage.

• Offer light pressure input regularly (if desired): tickling, lightly brushing hair or playing with hair.

• Use sensory bins filled with different textures (e.g., pasta, rice, sand, foam)

• Provide chew-safe items like chewable jewellery or textured pencils

• Offer tools like putty, squishy toys, or spiky massage balls for fidgeting

• Create opportunities for rough-and-tumble play or climbing in safe, supervised ways

  
  

Final Thought 🧠

There’s no one-size-fits-all.

A person might show signs of both avoidance and seeking at different times or in different situations.

Our job isn't to “correct” their behaviour-but to understand their sensory world and meet them where they are.

Next in the Sensory Series: we'll explore the sense of sound - and how noise impacts those who experience the world more (or less) intensely.