Tactile hypersensitivity in a child. Exercises to develop tactile sensitivity

"Kindergarten of a combined type No. 61" Khotkovo

“Development of tactile perception in children preschool age delayed mental development»

Teacher-defectologist:

MDOU "Kindergarten" combined type No. 61" Khotkovo

Khotkovo, 2012

The program is based on the program of U.V. Ulienkova. on sensorimotor development

tactile-motor perception in preschool children with mental retardation

A child cannot develop a comprehensive understanding of the surrounding objective world without tactile-motor perception, since it is this that underlies sensory cognition. “Tactile” (from Latin tactilis) - tactile.
Tactile images of objects are a reflection of a whole complex of qualities of objects perceived by a person through touch, sensation of pressure, temperature, pain. They arise as a result of the contact of objects with the outer coverings of the human body and make it possible to know the size, elasticity, density or roughness, heat or cold characteristic of an object.

With the help of tactile-motor perception, first impressions are formed about the shape, size of objects, location in space, and the quality of the materials used. Tactile perception plays an exceptional role when performing various labor operations in everyday life and wherever skills are needed manual labor. Moreover, in the process of habitual actions, a person often hardly uses vision, relying entirely on tactile-motor sensitivity.

The child’s initial action with objects is grasping, during which various signs of the object are learned by touch, therefore, the hand “teaches” the eye. On the terminal phalanges of the fingers and the dorsum of the hand there are the largest number of tangoreceptors (from the Latin tangere - to touch and receptor - receiving) - specialized endings of sensitive nerve fibers located in the skin and reacting to touches on it. This explains the special sensitivity of these areas of the body when exposed to one of the types of irritations (touch, pressure, vibration, itching, etc.). The hand is the organ of touch, which means that the main efforts of the educational psychologist should be aimed at developing the sensitivity of the hand receptors.

For this purpose, various types of activities are used that directly or indirectly contribute to the development of tactile-motor sensations:

Modeling from clay, plasticine, dough;

The currently accepted classification distinguishes two types of touch: passive and active. Passive touch is carried out thanks to the activity of the skin-mechanical analyzer. However, while tactile stimuli act on the body (or any part of it) at rest, the emerging image of the object is characterized by globality, some uncertainty and inaccuracy. It becomes clear that the primary role in cognition is given to active touch. The tactile image is formed on the basis of the synthesis of many tactile and kinesthetic signals generated by direct influence on skin. An important component of the process of touch is muscle-motor sensitivity.

Thus, sensation and perception, physiologically speaking, are reflexive in nature and are a kind of orienting actions. The sensory image itself can be interpreted, in the words of B. G. Ananyev, as a “reflex effect of the analyzer’s work.” This is especially evident in the process of tactile and visual perception.

Familiarization with the special properties of objects turns out to be impossible without movements of the hands and eyes, in a known sequence of examining various areas subject. The completeness and correctness of the image of the perceived object depends on the synchronization of movements of the fingers of both hands, the accuracy and purposefulness of movements, and the sequence of perceptual actions.

Children with mental retardation are characterized by an orientation toward separately perceived, often unimportant, features of an object. Tactile movements during examination are chaotic and cannot give an idea of ​​the object being examined. Children often miss when they want to take a distant object or perform some action with it, which is a consequence of the underdevelopment of motor (kinetic and kinesthetic) sensitivity and the coordination of movements closely related to it. Deficiencies in the development of the sense of touch negatively affect the formation of visual and effective thinking.

Some existing studies (A.P. Gozova, R.B. Kaffemanas) have shown that three-dimensional objects are recognized by children with mental retardation better than flat objects, since planar images of objects lack a number of perceived features, including through the sense of touch.

The practice of working with such children confirms that the most complete ideas they have arise when perception is included in practical activities: in this case, a general and diffuse idea of ​​the subject is subsequently replaced by a more specific and detailed one. This is why it is so important to teach children systematic examination.

Tactile-motor perception is carried out in different ways- by feeling an object or tracing its outline. At the same time, there arises different image: during palpation - volumetric, when tracing - contour, planar.
Tactile perception is a process unfolding over time, which means that the speed of information reception is low. However, during training, the appropriateness of palpating movements is gradually developed, the role of different types sensitivity.

All correctional work on the development of tactile sensitivity in children with mental retardation is carried out in several stages, each of which is characterized by a gradual complication of both the examination process itself and the verbal report on the identified qualities and properties of the object, its main features.

Stages of development of tactile sensitivity:

Feeling objects with different surfaces with with open eyes, hereinafter with closed; training in special examining movements (stroking, kneading, tapping, squeezing, etc.), designating in separate words the properties and qualities of the materials used, the characteristics of the object;

Finding by touch the required three-dimensional object according to the description of the properties and qualities of the material from which it is made (selecting first from 2 objects, and then from 3-5 objects);

Finding the outline of a proposed object from several (3-4 objects);

Identification along the contour with the eyes closed (blindfolded) of the object itself;

Finding two identical contours of an object from several suggested ones with closed (blindfolded) eyes.

Thus, through repeated sequential use of practical exercises, an increase in children's tactile sensitivity is achieved.

One of the main ways to correct these defects is didactic games. In games, it is necessary to create special conditions to highlight tactile-motor perception: put up a screen, use an opaque napkin or bag, offer to close (or blindfold) the child’s eyes, etc.

Didactic games for the development of tactile sensitivity

“Catch the pussy” The teacher touches with a soft toy (pussy) different parts the child's body, and the child with eyes closed determines where the pussy is. By analogy, you can use other objects to touch: a wet fish, a prickly hedgehog, etc.
“Wonderful bag” Objects are placed in an opaque bag different shapes, size, texture (toys, geometric shapes and bodies, plastic letters and numbers, etc.). The child is asked to find the desired item by touch, without looking into the bag.

“Identify by touch” The bag contains paired objects that differ in one feature (large and small buttons, wide and narrow rulers, etc.). You need to recognize the object by touch and name its characteristics: long - short, thick - thin, large - small, narrow - wide, etc.

“Handkerchief for a doll” (identifying objects by the texture of the material, in this case determining the type of fabric)

Children are offered three dolls in different scarves (silk, wool, knitted). Children take turns examining and feeling all the handkerchiefs. Then the handkerchiefs are removed and placed in a bag. Children find the right handkerchief for each doll by touch in the bag.

“Guess by touch what this object is made of” The child is asked to determine by touch what various objects are made of: a glass glass, a wooden block, an iron spatula, a plastic bottle, a fluffy toy, leather gloves, a rubber ball, a clay vase, etc.

By analogy, you can use objects and materials of different textures and determine what they are: viscous, sticky, rough, velvety, smooth, fluffy, etc.

“Recognize the figure” Geometric figures identical to those in the bag are laid out on the table. The teacher shows any figure and asks the child to take the same one out of the bag.

“Recognize an object by its outline” The child is blindfolded and given a figure cut out of cardboard (it can be a bunny, a Christmas tree, a pyramid, a house, a fish, a bird). They ask what this item is. They remove the figure, untie their eyes and ask them to draw it from memory, compare the drawing with the outline, and trace the figure.

“Guess what kind of object” Various large toys or small objects (rattle, ball, cube, comb, toothbrush, etc.) are laid out on the table, which are covered on top with a thin, but dense and opaque napkin. The child is asked to use a napkin to identify objects by touch and name them.

“Find a Pair” Material: plates covered with velvet, sandpaper, foil, corduroy, flannel. The child is asked, blindfolded, to find pairs of identical plates by touch.

“Find the box” Material: matchboxes, pasted on top various materials: corduroy, wool, velvet, silk, paper, linoleum, etc. Pieces of material are also glued inside the drawers. The drawers are located separately.

The child is asked to determine by touch which drawer is from which box.
“What’s in the bag” The child is offered small bags filled with peas, beans, beans or cereals: semolina, rice, buckwheat, etc. Going through the bags, he determines the filler and arranges these bags in a row as the size of the filler increases (for example, semolina, rice , buckwheat, peas, beans, beans).
- “Guess the number” (letter) On the child’s palm, write a number (letter) with the back of a pencil (or finger), which he determines with his eyes closed.
- "What is this?" The child closes his eyes. He is asked to touch the object with five fingers, but not to move them. Based on the texture, you need to determine the material (you can use cotton wool, fur, fabric, paper, leather, wood, plastic, metal).

“Assemble a nesting doll.” Two players approach the table. They close their eyes. In front of them are two disassembled nesting dolls. On command, both begin to collect their own nesting dolls - who is faster.

“Read” The players stand one after another. The person standing behind writes letters, words, numbers, figures, objects on the partner’s back with his finger. The person in front guesses. Then the children change places.

“Cinderella” Children (2-5 people) sit at the table. They are blindfolded. In front of each is a pile of seeds (peas, sunflower seeds, etc.). In a limited time, you should sort the seeds into piles.

“Guess what’s inside” Two people play. Each playing child has in his hands an opaque bag filled with small objects: checkers, pen caps, buttons, erasers, coins, nuts, etc. The teacher names the object, the players must quickly find it by touch and take it out with one hand, and hold the bag with the other. Who will do it faster?

The appearance of a baby in a family is always happiness, its growth and success bring great joy, it’s nice when the baby grows up obedient, cheerful and inquisitive, but what if everything is different? It is not uncommon these days for children to behave inappropriately in various situations; they scream and cry. Such children, like perpetual motion machines, do not know peace; these days this condition is usually called hyperactivity.

What is tactile hypersensitivity?

The most unpleasant thing in families where a hyperactive child is growing up is ignorance and misunderstanding of how to help the child and what to do about it. In science, this condition of children is called tactile hypersensitivity. A person’s sense of touch is, figuratively speaking, a thread that connects the interaction of our skin with the world around us. The skin constantly transmits impulses to the brain, impulses bring information, the information is filtered and only part of it reaches our consciousness. A good example of this chain is that we do not feel the clothes on us, it seems to merge with our body, but as soon as we think about it, we immediately feel some items of clothing worn on the person.

Highlight two main functions of tactile hypersensitivity. The first function gives a person the opportunity to know the world around us. The second function protects it. A person studying an object will use the first function, a person who has been hit or bitten will scratch or stroke sore spot, using the second function. Ideally, these two functions should live together in our body, complementing each other. But, unfortunately, there are not as many ideals as we would like. It happens that in a person the first function is less developed, in this case the person mistakes the non-scary for the scary and dangerous. There is some kind of exaggeration of something.

Let's move from theory to practice. A child with hypersensitivity behaves as follows: there is a pronounced protest when learning new things, the child does not pick up certain materials, for example, he avoids playing with plasticine, dough or clay, playing in the sandbox with peers also causes a number of unpleasant emotions in the child. Every little thing in clothes seems uncomfortable and intrusive to a child; unpleasant texture, fabric, tags, flowers or bows can all cause irritation. A child may be hostile to new things, scream and be capricious, expressing protest to everything new and unknown. Such children do not like water and hygiene procedures, and do not like touching.

Don't confuse the usual stubbornness and the manifestation of a character with hypersensitivity. When washing your child's hair or cutting his nails, you touch him, this causes unpleasant sensations for him, too much tickling, for example. It is difficult for such children to be in society, as accidental touches can provoke a hurricane of unpleasant sensations. While standing in line at the same canteen, a child may be accidentally touched, causing uncontrollable aggression in him. In many cases, the child may fight with the “offender.”

And finally, such children unable to control your emotions and condition. Compared to other children, they constantly run around, play around, twirl, etc. It is difficult for them to concentrate, insistence replaces one another. By the way, adults are sometimes hypersensitive, which makes it difficult to concentrate on a specific task. All these manifestations prevent the child from being in a group of children, in a kindergarten or school. You may notice that the child’s behavior worsens sharply when there are large crowds of people, all of them are dangerous for the baby. Problems also plague the child’s daily routine; it is difficult to put such babies to sleep and difficult to wake them up.

This condition interferes harmonious development baby.

Is there a way out?

There are different types of hypersensitive children; manifestations of hypersensitivity in one child proceed without any problems, but in others it turns into a disaster. True, there are no unsolvable problems. Exists a series of exercises and games, which help the child overcome this condition, organize himself, control his emotions and feelings, and calm down.

Hypersensitive children are characterized by a tendency to strong tactile sensations. To such kids a good one will do massage. The massage should be carried out with strong pressure and stroking; in the initial stages, massage through a towel or blanket is possible. The child himself will tell you whether he likes it or not. Subsequently, you can teach your baby to massage those places that cause discomfort by purchasing safe and not too hard brushes.

Will be beneficial games with plasticine, clay, dough, sand. Give your baby your own little corner where he will be safe, let him play, sculpt, and draw. Choose toys that are interesting to him. Everything around should be conducive to order and discipline.

For solutions sleep problems You can make a nest for your baby from a blanket or pillows. A beautiful, discreet canopy over the crib and dim light also play a role important role, all this will create the right atmosphere.

I would like to note that children autistics more often they suffer from tactile hypersensitivity, they are more comfortable in familiar places, play with the same toys, live according to a certain schedule; everything new causes fear and panic. Soft affectionate touches are not for such children. To show love, you should squeeze them harder.

The main assistant in solving the problem will be parents. If parents are able to correctly explain their conditions to their child and help them overcome them, it will be easier for the child. As your child grows, you need to teach him to control his emotions and release accumulated energy in a timely manner. The child must know and understand his own characteristics, this will help him in life.

Parents should take care that the child’s environment does not provoke him into attacks of fear, despair and indignation. Teachers and educators should treat such children tactfully, and public humiliation and insults should be put aside. Of course, it is very difficult with such children, but with maximum effort, the problem can be solved.

"With regard to taste, such children almost always have pronounced likes and dislikes. The same applies to touch. Many children show an abnormally strong aversion to certain tactile sensations. They cannot stand the rough surface of a new shirt or a patch on socks. Washing water is often for them a source of unpleasant sensations, which leads to very unpleasant scenes. There is also hypersensitivity to noise, and the same child may be hypersensitive to noise in some situations, but hyposensitive in others,” Hans Asperger (1944).

Doctors and scientists define Asperger's syndrome primarily by a profile of abilities in the areas of social reasoning, empathy, language and cognitive abilities, but one of the attributes of Asperger's syndrome clearly identified in autobiographies and parents' descriptions of their children is hyper- and hyposensitivity to certain sensory experience. Recent studies and reviews of previous studies have confirmed that Asperger syndrome is characterized by an unusual pattern of sensory perception and reactions (Dunn, Smith Myles and Orr 2002; Harrison and Hare 2004; Hippler and Klicpera 2004; Jones, Quigney and Huws 2003; O'Neill and Jones 1997 ; Rogers and Ozonoff 2005).

Some adults with Asperger's syndrome report that sensory sensitivity has a much greater impact on their lives than problems with forming friendships, managing emotions, and finding employment. Unfortunately, doctors and scientists still tend to ignore this aspect of Asperger's syndrome, and we still do not have a satisfactory explanation for why a person may have unusual sensory sensitivity or effective strategies for modifying sensory sensitivity.

The most common symptom of Asperger's syndrome is sensitivity to very specific sounds, but a person may also have sensitivity to tactile experiences, light intensity, the taste and texture of food, and specific smells. There may be either an under- or over-reaction to feelings of pain and discomfort, an unusual sense of balance, perception of movement and body orientation in space. One or more sensory systems may be so affected that everyday sensations are perceived as unbearably intense or not perceived at all. Parents often wonder why these sensations are considered intolerable or go unnoticed, while a person with Asperger's syndrome also wonders how other people can have completely different levels of sensitivity.

Parents often report that their child reacts visibly to sounds that are so quiet that other people cannot hear them at all. The child is frightened by sudden noises or cannot tolerate a certain tone of noise (for example, the sound of a hand dryer or vacuum cleaner). The child has to cover his ears with his hands in a desperate attempt to get rid of the specific sound. A child may be averse to affectionate displays of affection, such as hugs or kisses, because they find them an unpleasant sensory (not necessarily emotional) experience. Bright sunlight may be “blinding,” certain colors may be avoided because they appear too intense, and the child may notice and become distracted by extraneous visual details, such as specks of dust floating in a beam of light.

A young child with Asperger's syndrome may limit himself to an extremely limited diet, outright refusing food of a certain texture, taste, smell or temperature. Smells such as perfumes or cleaning products may be actively avoided because they make the child feel nauseous. There are also problems with a sense of balance, when the child is terrified of lifting his feet off the ground and cannot stand hanging upside down.

On the other hand, there is a lack of sensitivity to certain sensory experiences, such as a lack of response to certain sounds, an inability to feel the pain of an injury, or a lack of need for warm clothing despite very cold winter. The sensory system may be hypersensitive at one moment, but hyposensitive at another. However, some sensory experiences can produce intense pleasure in humans, such as loud noises and tactile sensations from vibration washing machine or different colors of street lighting.

Sensory overload

Children and adults with Asperger's syndrome often describe feelings of sensory overload. Claire Sainsbury, who has Asperger's syndrome, describes her sensory problems at school:
“The hallways and hallways of almost any public school are a constant stream of echoing sounds, fluorescent lights (particular sources of visual and auditory stress for people on the autism spectrum), ringing bells, people bumping into each other, smells of cleaning products, and so on. As a result, Anyone with the sensory hypersensitivities and stimulus processing problems that are typical of autism spectrum conditions spends most of the day in a state of near sensory overload" (Sainsbury 2000, p.101).

Intense sensory experiences, described by Nita Jackson as “dynamic sensory spasms” (N. Jackson 2002, p.53), result in a person with Asperger’s syndrome experiencing extreme stress, anxiety and essentially “shock” in situations that other children would experience. are intense but enjoyable.

A child with sensory sensitivity becomes hypervigilant, constantly tense, and easily distracted in sensory stimulating environments. environment, for example, in class, because he does not know when he will have the next painful sensory experience. The child actively avoids certain situations, such as school hallways, playgrounds, crowded shops and supermarkets that are too intense a sensory experience. The fears associated with such anticipation are sometimes very severe form, and as a result may develop anxiety disorder, for example, a phobia of dogs that may suddenly bark, or agoraphobia (fear of public places), since the home remains relatively safe and controlled by sensory experience. A person may avoid social situations, such as attending a birthday party, not only because of lack of confidence in knowledge of social conventions, but also because higher level noise - children screaming, balloons bursting. ...

Sensitivity to sounds

Between 70% and 85% of children with Asperger's syndrome have extreme sensitivity to certain sounds (Bromley et al. 2004; SmithMyles et al. 2000). Clinical observations and personal experience People with Asperger's syndrome suggest that there are three types of noise that they perceive as extremely unpleasant. The first category is unexpected, sudden sounds, which one adult with Asperger's syndrome called "edgy." These include dogs barking, a phone ringing, someone coughing, a fire alarm at school, a pen cap clicking, and crunching sounds. The second category includes continuous, high-pitched sounds, especially those produced by small electric motors in home appliances such as food processors, vacuum cleaners, or toilet flushes. The third category includes sounds that are confusing, complex, and numerous, such as in large stores or in numerous social gatherings.

It may be difficult for a parent or teacher to show empathy to a person in such a situation because typical people do not perceive such noises as unpleasant. However, an analogy can be drawn between this experience and the discomfort many people experience with specific sounds, such as nails scraping against school board. The mere thought of such a sound is enough to make many people shudder in disgust.

Below are quotes from biographies of people with Asperger's syndrome that illustrate the intensity of such sensory experiences that cause pain or discomfort. The first excerpt is from Temple Grandin: "Loud, unexpected noises still frighten me. My reaction to them is more intense than other people's. I still hate balloons because I never know when one of them will pop and will make me jump. Steady high-pitched motor sounds, such as from a hairdryer or bathroom fan, still bother me, but if the frequency of the motor sounds is lower, then it does not bother me" (Grandin 1988, p.3).

Darren White describes it as: "I'm still afraid of the vacuum cleaner, mixer and shaker because they sound five times louder to me than they actually are. The bus engine starts with a deafening bang, the engine sounds almost four times louder than normal." , and I have to cover my ears with my hands almost the entire way" (White and White 1987, pp.224–5).

Teresa Jolliffe describes her hearing sensitivity this way: “The following are just some of the sounds that still upset me so much that I have to cover my ears to avoid them: screams, noisy crowded places, touching polystyrene, noisy machines on construction sites, hammers and drills , other electrical appliances, the sound of the surf, the creaking of a marker or pen, fireworks. Despite all this, I perceive and play music well, and there are certain types of music that I simply adore, moreover, if I feel strong anger or despair for some reason. reason, then music is the only thing that allows me to restore inner balance" (Jolliffe et al. 1992, p.15).

Liane Holliday Willey identifies several specific sounds that cause her to be in a state of extreme stress: “Ringing, piercing sounds at a high frequency seem to dig their claws into my nerves. Whistles, pipes, flutes, oboes and any close relatives of these sounds shake my calm and make my the world is a very unfriendly place" (Willey 1999, p.22).

Will Hadcroft explains how the anticipation of an unpleasant auditory experience creates a state of constant anxiety: "I was constantly nervous, afraid of literally everything. I hated the trains that went under railway bridges when I was standing on them. I was afraid that balloon will burst, that the firecracker will explode at the holiday, that the Christmas cookies will begin to crunch. I was wary of anything that might make an unexpected sound. It goes without saying that I am terrified of thunderstorms, and even when I learned that only lightning is dangerous, thunder still scared me much more. Guy Fawkes Night [a British holiday traditionally celebrated with fireworks] gives me a lot of stress, although I really enjoy watching fireworks” (Hadcroft 2005, p.22).

Acute hearing sensitivity can also be used as an advantage, for example, Albert knew when the train would arrive at the station several minutes before his parents could hear it. In his words, “I can always hear him, but Mommy and Daddy can’t, and there is noise in my ears and body” (Cesaroni and Garber 1991, p.306). In my clinical practice, one child whose special interest was buses could identify every bus that passed his house by the noise it made. His secondary interest was license plates, so he could tell the number of every passing bus, even though he couldn't see it. He also refused to play in the garden near the house. When asked about this, he replied that he hated the "clacking" of the wings of insects, such as butterflies.

There may be a problem with “switching” and constant changes in the perception of sounds. Darren describes these floating switches: “Another trick my ears love is changing the volume of the sounds around me. Sometimes when other children were talking to me, I could barely hear them, and sometimes their voices sounded like gunshots.” (White and White 1987, p.224).

Donna Williams explains that: “Sometimes people have to repeat a sentence to me several times because I only perceive it in parts, as if my brain is splitting it into words and turning it into a completely meaningless message. It’s like someone “I was playing with the remote control and constantly turning the TV volume on and off” (Williams 1998, p.64).

We do not know whether sensory “switches” are associated with such intense attention to the current activity that auditory signals simply cannot distract attention, or whether it is actually a temporary and floating loss of perception and processing of auditory information. However, it is for this reason that many parents suspect that their young child with Asperger's syndrome is deaf. Donna Williams says: "My mother and father thought I was deaf. They stood behind me and took turns making a lot of noise, and I didn’t even blink in response. They took me to have my hearing tested. The testing showed that I was not deaf, and The issue was closed. Years later, my hearing was tested again. This time it turned out that my hearing was better than average, that is, I heard a frequency that only animals can hear. The problem with my hearing is that my awareness of sounds is constantly changing" (Williams 1998). , p.44).

How can a person with Asperger's syndrome cope with this type of hearing sensitivity? Some learn to focus on or tune out certain sounds, as Temple Grandin describes: "When I encountered loud or disconcerting sounds, I couldn't modulate them. I either tried to tune them out completely and walk away, or I let them in like a train. To avoid them influences, I was completely disconnected from the world around me. Even as an adult, I still have problems modulating the incoming auditory information. When I use the phone at the airport, I cannot distract myself from the noise in the background, since it will force me to distract myself. from the voice on the phone. Other people can use the telephone in noisy places, but I cannot, although I have normal hearing" (Grandin 1988, p.3).

Other techniques include humming to oneself, which blocks out external sounds, and intense concentration on the activity at hand (a type of being completely engrossed in one's activity), which prevents the intrusion of unpleasant sensory experiences.

Strategies for reducing sensitivity to sounds

First of all, it is important to identify which auditory experiences are perceived as painfully intense when a child communicates his stress by covering his ears with his hands, flinching and blinking rapidly in response to unexpected sounds, or simply telling an adult that noise is unpleasant or painful for him. Some of these sounds can simply be avoided. For example, if the noise of a vacuum cleaner is too intense, then you can vacuum only when the child is at school.

There are several simple, practical solutions. One little girl with Asperger's syndrome could not stand the squeaking of chair legs when her classmates or teacher moved the chair. This sound was eliminated when the chair legs were covered. After this, the girl was finally able to concentrate on the content of the lessons.

Barriers can be used that reduce the level of auditory stimulation, such as silicone earplugs, which a person carries in his pocket at all times and can be quickly put on at any time when sounds become unbearable. Earplugs are especially useful in very noisy environments, such as a school cafeteria. In the quote above, Teresa Jolliffe suggests another strategy, namely, “...if I feel very angry or frustrated about something, then music is the only thing that allows me to restore inner balance” (Jolliffe et al. 1992, p.15 ).

Today we are beginning to recognize that listening to music through headphones is a way to camouflage too intense external sounds. This allows a person to calmly visit large stores or concentrate on work in a noisy classroom.

It is also helpful to explain the source and duration of a sound that is perceived as unbearable. Developed by Carol Gray, Social Stories (TM) are highly visual and can be adapted to tell stories about hearing sensitivity. The Social Story (TM) for a child who is sensitive to the sound of hand dryers in public restrooms includes a description of the device's function and design and reassures the child that the dryer will automatically turn off after a certain time. Such knowledge can reduce anxiety and increase noise tolerance.

Obviously, parents and teachers should be aware of the child's hearing sensitivity and try to minimize the level of unexpected sounds, reduce background noise and conversation, and avoid specific auditory experiences that are perceived as intolerable. This will help reduce a person's anxiety level and will improve concentration and socialization.

There are two types of hearing loss therapy for children with autism and Asperger's syndrome. Sensory Integration Therapy (Ayers 1972) was developed by occupational therapists and builds on the groundbreaking work of Jean Ayers. This therapy uses specialized play equipment to improve the processing, modulation, organization and integration of sensory information. The treatment involves a controlled and enjoyable sensory experience, organized by an occupational therapist for several hours a week. Typically, the course of such therapy lasts several months.

Despite the great popularity of this treatment, there is remarkably little empirical evidence of the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy (Baranek 2002; Dawson and Watling 2000). However, Grace Baranek argues in her review of the research literature that the lack of empirical evidence for sensory integration therapy does not mean that the treatment is ineffective. Rather, we can only say that this effectiveness has not yet been objectively demonstrated.

Classroom integration therapy (AIT) was developed by Guy Berard from France (Berard 1993). The therapy requires a person to listen to ten hours of electronically modified music through headphones twice a day for half an hour for ten days. First, an assessment is performed using an audiogram to determine which frequencies are associated with hypersensitivity in a given individual. A special electrical modulation and filtering device is then applied to randomly modulate high and low frequency sounds and filter out selected frequencies that were determined during the audiogram evaluation. This treatment is expensive, and although there are anecdotal reports of some success in reducing auditory sensitivity, there is generally no empirical evidence to support AIT (Baranek 2002; Dawson and Watling 2000).

Although some sounds are perceived as extremely unpleasant, it is very important to remember that some sounds can bring great pleasure: for example, a small child may be obsessed with certain motifs or the sound of a ticking clock. Donna Williams explains that: "However, there is one sound that I love to hear - the sound of any metal. Unfortunately for my mother, the door bell fell into this category, so for many years I constantly rang it like a man possessed." (Williams 1998, p.45).

"My mother recently rented a piano, and I've loved those jingling sounds since I was very young. I started pulling the strings, and if I wasn't chewing on them, I was tickling my ears with them. Just like I loved the sound of metal hitting metal , and my favorite objects were a piece of crystal and a tuning fork, which I carried with me for many years" (Williams 1998, p.68).

Tactile sensitivity

Sensitivity to certain types of touch or tactile experiences occurs in more than 50% of children diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome (Bromley et al. 2004; Smith Myles et al. 2000). This may be extreme sensitivity to certain touches, levels of pressure, or touching certain parts of the body. Temple Grandin describes the acute tactile sensitivity she had as a young child: “As a baby, I rejected attempts to touch me, and I remember as an older woman, I would tense, flinch, and pull away from relatives when they hugged me” (Grandin 1984, p.155).

For Temple, the kinds of touches used for social greetings or affection were too intense and overwhelming, like a “tidal wave” of sensation. In this case, avoidance of social contacts is associated with a purely physiological reaction to touch.

A child with Asperger's syndrome may be afraid to be around other children due to the risk of sudden or accidental touching, and may avoid social gatherings with family because they tend to involve affection, such as hugs and kisses, which are perceived as too intense.

Liane Holliday Willey talks about her childhood: “It was impossible for me to even touch certain objects. I hated tight things, satin things, itchy things, anything that was too tight to the body. Just thinking about them, imagining them, visualizing them … as soon as my thoughts found them, I would goosebump and get chills, and a general state of discomfort would set in. I would constantly take off my clothes, even if we were in public places” (Willey 1999, pp.21–2).

As far as I know, as an adult, Lian stopped acting this way in public. However, in a recent email she told me that she still has tactile sensitivity. According to her, sometimes she has to stop and go to a nearby store to buy some new clothes because she can no longer stand what she is currently wearing. And I'm sure this is not just an excuse for the husband to justify huge expenses.

As a child, Temple Grandin also did not tolerate certain tactile sensations from certain types of clothing: “Some episodes of bad behavior were directly caused by sensory difficulties. I often misbehaved in church and screamed because my Sunday clothes felt different. During cold weather, When I had to go outside in a skirt, my legs hurt. The scratchy coats drove me crazy. For most people, such sensations meant nothing, but for an autistic child they were tantamount to sandpaper being rubbed over unprotected skin. Certain types of stimulation. strengthened by my damaged nervous system. The solution to the problem would be to find Sunday clothes that feel the same as everyday clothes. Even as an adult, I feel extreme discomfort from any new type of underwear. Most people are used to. different types clothes, but I can feel the clothes on me for hours. Now I buy casual and formal clothes that feel the same" (Grandin 1988, pp.4-5).

A child may insist on a very limited wardrobe because this ensures consistency in the tactile experience. Parents have problems with washing this limited set of clothes, as well as with buying new clothes. If a child can tolerate a particular thing, then parents should buy several of the same things. different sizes to cope with washing, wear and tear and baby growth.

Certain areas of the body may be more sensitive. Most often this is the child's head, arms and hands. A child may experience enormous stress when washing, cutting or combing hair. Stephen Shore describes his reaction to having his hair cut as a child: “Getting a haircut was a big deal. It hurt! To reassure me, my parents told me that my hair was dead and that I couldn't feel anything. It was impossible to put into words what it meant. that my discomfort was due to the pulling of hair on my skin. If someone else washed my hair, that was also a problem. Now that I am older, my nervous system has matured, and cutting is no longer a problem" (Shore 2001, p.19).

Negative haircut experiences can also be associated with auditory sensitivity, namely the aversion to the “harsh” sound of scissors cutting hair or the vibrations of an electric razor. Another problem may be a reaction to the tactile sensations of hair falling on the child's face and shoulders, and for very young children the situation is complicated by the lack of stability - they sit in an adult chair where their feet do not even touch the floor.

Asperger noted that some of the children he observed could not tolerate the feeling of water on their faces. Leah wrote to me, explaining the phenomenon this way: "As a child, I always hated taking showers and preferred to take baths. The feeling of water hitting my face was completely unbearable. I still hate that feeling. I went for weeks without showering." and I was shocked when I found out that the other children showered regularly, and some did it every day!”

Obviously, this feature negatively affects personal hygiene, and this, in turn, can interfere with communication with peers. Tactile sensitivity can also lead to rejection of certain activities at school. A child with Asperger's Syndrome may find the feeling of glue on their skin intolerable and may refuse to finger paint, sculpt with play dough, or participate in theater performances because they don't like the feel of costumes. Overreaction to tickling is also possible, as is overreaction to touching certain areas of the body, such as touching the lower back. When teenagers find out about this, they may be tempted to tease and torment the teenager with Asperger's Syndrome by poking their finger in his back and enjoying his fearful reaction and obvious discomfort.

Tactile sensitivity can also affect the sensual and sexual relationships between an adult with Asperger's syndrome and their partner (Aston 2003; Hénault 2005). Everyday expressions of affection, such as placing a comforting hand on a shoulder or expressing love through a tight hug, are far from pleasant sensations for a person with Asperger's syndrome. A typical partner of such a person may worry that his gentle touch does not bring joy, or that the person with Asperger's syndrome rarely uses it himself. More intimate touching, which is supposed to produce mutual sexual pleasure, can be unbearable and not at all pleasant for a person with Asperger's syndrome and tactile sensitivity. Aversion to physical touch during sexual intimacy is usually associated with problems with sensory perception, and not at all with a lack of love and desire for a relationship.

Strategies to reduce tactile sensitivity

What can be done to reduce tactile sensitivity? Family members, teachers, and friends should be aware of perceptual difficulties and possible reactions to some tactile experiences. They should not force a person to endure sensations that can be avoided. A young child with Asperger's syndrome may play with toys or participate in activities educational activities, which does not cause him to have a tactile defensive reaction (the technical term for hypersensitivity to certain tactile experiences). Sensory integration therapy can reduce tactile defensiveness, but as discussed in the section on auditory sensitivity, there is still a lack of empirical evidence for the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy.

Family members can reduce the frequency and duration of affectionate expressions during greetings. A person with Asperger's syndrome should be warned when and how they will be touched, so that the tactile sensations are not unexpected and are less likely to cause panic. Parents can remove all tags from their child's clothing and encourage them to tolerate washing and cutting. Sometimes a head massage helps - the parent slowly but firmly rubs the child's head and shoulders with a towel, and only then uses scissors or a clipper. This helps to reduce the sensitivity of the child's head in advance.

Sometimes the problem is the intensity of the touch, where light touch is most unbearable, but intense pressure on the skin is acceptable and even pleasant. Temple Grandin found that firm pressure and squeezing were both pleasurable and soothing to her: “I would pull away and tense up when people hugged me, but I just craved having my back rubbed. Rubbing my skin like that had a soothing effect. I longed for deep pressure stimulation. I would crawl under the sofa cushions and coax my sister to sit on them. The pressure was very calming and relaxing for me. As a child, I loved to crawl into all the small and narrow spaces. It made me feel safe, calm and protected" (Grandin 1988, p.4). ).

She subsequently created a "squeeze machine" that is lined with foam and covers her entire body to provide intense pressure. She found that the machine had a calming and relaxing effect, which gradually reduced her sensitivity.

Lian Holliday Willie experienced intense tactile pleasure when she was underwater. In her autobiography, she writes: "Underwater, I found peace. I loved the feeling of floating under water. I was liquid, calm, smooth, I was muted. The water was solid and strong. It held me safely in its black, stunning darkness and offered silence for me—pure and effortless silence. The whole morning could pass unnoticed as I swam underwater for hours on end, straining my lungs in the silence and darkness until they forced me to draw air again” (Willey 1999, p.22).

Thus, some individual tactile sensations may be very pleasant, but the presence of a tactile defensive reaction not only affects mental state person, this also negatively affects interpersonal relationships, since typical people often touch each other. The suggestion to "reach out to your neighbor" can sound quite daunting to someone with Asperger's Syndrome.

Sensitivity to tastes and smells

Parents often report that their young child with Asperger's syndrome has an amazing ability to recognize smells that other people don't even notice, and can be an unusually picky eater. More than 50% of children with Asperger's syndrome have olfactory and gustatory sensitivity (Bromley et al. 2004; Smith Myles et al. 2000).

Sean Barron explains his perception of the taste and texture of food: “I have a huge problem with food. I like to eat only lean and simple foods. My favorite foods are dry cereal without milk, pancakes, pasta and spaghetti, potatoes, including potatoes with milk. Since these are the foods I ate at the very beginning of my life, they calm and comfort me. I never wanted to try anything new.

I've always been hypersensitive to the texture of food, having to feel everything with my fingers to know what it felt like before I put it in my mouth. I just hate it when things are mixed in food, like noodles with vegetables or bread with sandwich fillings. I definitely can't put anything like that in my mouth. I know it will just make me vomit violently" (Barron and Barron 1992, p.96).

Stephen Shore had a similar sensory experience: "Canned asparagus is intolerable to me because of its slimy texture, and I haven't eaten tomatoes whole year, after a small tomato burst in my mouth while eating. The sensory stimulation of exploding a small vegetable in my mouth was simply unbearable, and I was terrified of repeating the same experience. Carrots in green salad and celery in tuna salad are still unbearable for me because the texture difference between carrots with celery and tuna is too great. I like to eat celery and baby carrots separately. There were times, especially as a child, when I only ate in batches—eating one thing on a plate and only then moving on to the next item” (Shore 2001, p.44).

A young child may insist on an extremely lean and restricted diet, such as only boiled rice or sausages and potatoes every night, for several years. Unfortunately, increased sensitivity and the resulting avoidance of tough or “wet” textures in food and certain food combinations can be a source of stress for the entire family. Mothers can become desperate because their child won't even hear about new or more nutritious foods. Fortunately, most children with Asperger's syndrome who have this sensitivity are able to expand their diet as they get older. For many children, this feature almost completely disappears by early adolescence.

For some products there may be an element of tactile defensiveness. We see this reaction when a person puts his finger down his throat. This is an automatic reflex that encourages you to get rid of a hard object in your throat, which causes extremely unpleasant sensations. However, a child with Asperger's syndrome may also react to high-fiber foods in the mouth, not just the throat.

Sometimes a child refuses a certain fruit or vegetable due to increased sensitivity to certain odors. While a typical child or adult may find a certain aroma pleasant and appetizing, a child with Asperger's syndrome may suffer from increased olfactory sensitivity and variations in perception, and may find the aroma downright nauseating.

When I ask children with Asperger's syndrome who have this trait to describe the different aromas they smell when they eat, say, a ripe peach, they respond with answers like "it smells like urine" or "it smells like rot." Olfactory sensitivity can lead to severe nausea from the smell of someone else's perfume or deodorant. One adult told me that he perceives the smell of perfume as the smell of insect repellent. A child with olfactory sensitivity may avoid the smell of paint and art supplies at school, or may be reluctant to go into the cafeteria or room where a certain cleaning product has been used.

Being more sensitive to odors can also have benefits. I know several adults with Asperger's syndrome who combine their heightened sense of smell with a special interest in wine. As a result, these people were able to become world famous wine experts and winemakers. When Lian Holliday Willie arrives at her table at a restaurant, her keen sense of smell allows her to immediately tell the waiter that the seafood is a little expired and could make her sick. She can also smell her daughters' breath when they are getting sick (in person).

Strategies for increasing dietary diversity

It is important to avoid force feeding or fasting programs to encourage variety in the diet. A child suffers from hypersensitivity to certain foods: this is not just a behavioral problem when the child deliberately disobeys and is stubborn. However, it is important for parents to ensure that the child eats a variety of foods, and a professional nutritionist can provide guidelines for a nutritious but manageable diet for the child.

With age, such sensitivity gradually decreases, but fears of foods and constant avoidance may remain. In this case, a clinical psychologist can conduct a systematic desensitization program. First, the child is encouraged to describe his sensory experience and identify the foods he finds least unpleasant, which he can try with the necessary support. When offering a low-preference food, the child is initially encouraged to only lick and taste it, but not chew or swallow it. When experimenting with different sensations from food, the child should be relaxed, a supportive adult should be nearby, he should be congratulated and praised, even rewarded for showing courage and trying something new. A sensory integration therapy program may also be helpful.

However, some adults with Asperger's syndrome will have a very restricted diet, always eating the same set of foods that must be prepared and served in the same way throughout their lives. Well, at least with years of practice, preparing these dishes will become as efficient as possible.

Visual sensitivity

Sensitivity to certain light levels or colors, as well as visual distortions, are observed in one in five children with Asperger's syndrome (Smith Myles et al. 2000). For example, Darren mentions how “on sunny days my vision gets blurry.” From time to time he shows sensitivity to a certain color, for example: "I remember one time I got a new bike for Christmas. It was yellow. I refused to look at it. There was red paint added, which made it look orange, and It felt like he was on fire. In addition, I couldn’t see well. blue, it seemed too light and looked like ice" (White and White 1987, p.224).

On the other hand, there may be an intense fascination with various visual details, looking at spots on the carpet or spots on someone else's skin. When a child with Asperger's Syndrome has an innate talent for drawing, and if this is combined with his or her special interest and practice in drawing, the result can be paintings that have literally photographic realism. For example, a young child who is interested in trains may carefully sketch railroad scenes in perspective, including fine detail when drawing locomotives. At the same time, the people present in the picture can be drawn in a way characteristic of this age, without attention to detail.

There are reports of visual distortions in Asperger's syndrome. Here's how Darren describes them: “I hated small shops because they seemed much smaller to me than they really were” (White and White 1987, p.224).

This can lead to fears or anxiety in response to certain visual experiences, as Teresa Jolliffe mentions: “Perhaps it was because what I saw didn’t always give the right impression. As a result, I was frightened by many things - people, especially their faces, very bright lights, crowds, sudden movement of objects, large cars and unfamiliar buildings, unfamiliar places, my own shadow, darkness, bridges, rivers, canals, streams and the sea" (Jolliffe et al. 1992, p.15).

Some visual experiences can cause confusion, such as light reflecting off a blackboard in a classroom, making the text written on it unreadable, or being constantly distracted by such experiences. Liane Holliday Willey describes it this way: "Bright lights, midday sun, flashing lights, reflected lights, fluorescent lights that literally tore into my eyes. Together, the harsh sounds and bright lights quickly overloaded my senses. My head felt like it was closing in, my stomach was turning inside out, my heart rate would skyrocket until I found a safe place" (Willey 1999, p.22).

In her email to me, Carolyn explains that: "Fluorescent lights irritate me not only with the light, but also with the flickering. They cause 'shadows' in my vision (which were very scary as a child), and if I stay under them long enough, This causes confusion and dizziness, which often ends in a migraine."

There are descriptions of people who were unable to see something clearly visible, even if that was what they were looking for (Smith Myles et al. 2000). A person with Asperger's syndrome may be more likely than others to suffer from the phenomenon of not being able to see "what's right under your nose." A child may ask where his book is, although it lies right in front of him on the table and everyone around him can see it, but the child does not understand that this is the very book he is looking for. This often infuriates both the child and the teacher.

However, not all visual experiences are negative. For a person with Asperger's syndrome, visual stimulation can be a source of intense pleasure, such as observing visual symmetry. Young children may gravitate toward any parallel lines, such as rails and sleepers, fences, and power lines. An adult with Asperger's syndrome may transfer an interest in symmetry to architecture. Liane Halliday Willie has a remarkable knowledge and passion for architecture: "To this day, architectural design remains my favorite subject and now that I am older I enjoy it and completely indulge in the joy it brings me. In many ways it is the one an elixir that always heals me. When I feel exhausted and stressed, I take out my books on the history of architecture and design and look at the different spaces and arenas that make sense to me, linear, rectangular and solid buildings that are the very embodiment of balance" ( Willey 1999, p.48).

Several famous architects may have had personal characteristics associated with Asperger's syndrome. However, the love of symmetry in buildings can also have a negative side. Lian explained to me that if she sees asymmetrical buildings, or what she calls “flawed” designs, she feels nauseous and extremely anxious.

Strategies for reducing visual sensitivity

Parents and teachers can avoid situations in which the child will be exposed to intense and disturbing visual sensations. For example, you don’t have to sit your child on the sunny side of the car or at the best-lit desk. Another approach is to wear sunglasses when outdoors to avoid strong lighting or direct sunlight, and a protective screen around your desk or work area to block unnecessary visual information.

Some children have a natural "screen" - they grow long hair, which cover their face like a curtain and act as a barrier to visual (and social) experience. Concerns about the perceived intensity of colors can lead a child to want to wear only black clothes, and very often this has nothing to do with fashion.

Eat additional programs, which can reduce the child’s visual sensitivity. Helen Irlen developed stained glass that enhances visual perception and reduces perceptual overload and visual distortion. Colored non-optical lenses (Irlen filters) are designed to filter the frequency of the light spectrum to which a particular person is sensitive. First, a preliminary assessment is carried out using a special questionnaire and testing, which allows you to choose the appropriate color. There are currently no empirical studies that support the value of lenses for people with Asperger's syndrome, but I personally know several children and adults who report that Irlen lenses have significantly reduced their visual sensitivity and sensory overload.

Behavioral optometrists have developed vision therapy that retrains the eyes and brain structures that process visual information. Potential visual dysfunction and any compensatory mechanisms, including head tilting and turning, use of peripheral vision, and preference for looking with one eye, are first assessed. The complementary therapy program is conducted through daily therapy sessions and homework assignments. To date, there is no empirical evidence to support vision therapy for people with Asperger's syndrome.

It is important to remember that when a person with Asperger's syndrome experiences extreme stress or agitation, it may be helpful for them to retreat to a calming area or room away from other people. The space should be sensorially soothing. This may include very symmetrical furniture, a calm color of the carpet and walls, and a complete absence of sounds, smells and unpleasant tactile sensations.

Sense of balance and movement

Some children with Asperger's syndrome suffer from problems with the vestibular system, which affect their sense of balance, perception of movement and coordination (SmithMyles et al. 2000). Such a child can be called “gravitationally insecure.” He begins to experience anxiety if his feet do not touch the ground, and feels disorientated if he needs to suddenly change the position of his body in space, for example, when playing with a ball.

A sense of balance may also play a role if a person experiences acute discomfort when lowering their head down. Liane Holliday Willey explains that: "Motion is not my friend. My stomach lurches and turns inside out when I look at a merry-go-round or drive up a hill or turn a corner too fast. When my first child was born, I quickly learned that my vestibular problems extended beyond rides and car rides. I couldn't rock my girls, and I did it even in a rocking chair" (Willey 1999, p.76).

On the other hand, I have known children with Asperger's syndrome who experienced intense pleasure from roller coasters to the point that the rides became their special interests. They are pleasant to listen to and look at.

We are just beginning to study the problems with the vestibular system of children and adults with Asperger's syndrome, but if a child has problems with balance and movement, then sensory integration therapy may be recommended.

Perception of pain and temperature

A child or adult with Asperger's syndrome may appear to be truly stoic - not even flinching or showing the slightest stress in response to pain that would be unbearable for other people. Often a child notices a bruise or cut, but does not remember where he got it from. Splinters are removed without problems, hot drinks are drunk without hostility. On a hot day a person wears warm clothes, and on a cold day he insists on wearing summer clothes. You might think that he lives according to some kind of special thermometer of his own.

Hyposensitivity or hypersensitivity to pain occurs in Asperger's syndrome (Bromley et al. 2004). A low pain threshold for certain types of pain and discomfort can cause a strong reaction in a child, and peers may tease him for this as a “crybaby.” However, hyposensitivity to pain is much more common in children with Asperger's syndrome. A high pain threshold was described to me by the father of a teenager with Asperger's syndrome: "Two years ago, my son came home with a badly injured leg, covered in bruises and countless cuts. I ran for a first aid kit. When I returned, I told him to sit down so I could treat his injuries, but he didn't understand what I was talking about. He said, "It's okay, it doesn't hurt at all" and "It happens all the time" and went to his bedroom Until he was 18, it happened every now and then. doesn’t feel the cold like other people. In winter, he rarely wore a coat and wore short-sleeved shirts to school all the time, and he was very comfortable.”

I once happened to meet a young American man with Asperger's Syndrome while on holiday in the Australian desert during the winter. We both found ourselves in a group of tourists who ate dinner outside so we could enjoy the view of the beautiful desert stars and listen to the astronomer's evening lecture. However, the temperature was unbearably low and everyone, with the exception of a person with Asperger's syndrome, complained of the cold and wore several layers warm clothes. The young man came to dinner wearing only a T-shirt and refused the warm clothes his companions offered him. He explained that he was already well, but his appearance in the cold night desert caused discomfort to everyone around him.

Carolyn described another example in her email. She reported: "My response to pain and temperature is similar to my response to normal or traumatic events. At low levels of stimulation my response is exaggerated, but at high levels the sensations are muted and I can function better than normal. Trivial events can dramatically impair my ability to function." , but real trauma allows me to think logically and act calmly and effectively when others are panicking in a similar situation."

Asperger noted that one in four children he observed was delayed in toilet training (Hippler and Klicpera 2004). It is possible that such children have difficulty perceiving signals of discomfort from the bladder and bowels, which leads to “accidents”.

Failure to respond to discomfort, pain, or extreme temperature can be very disruptive to a small child with Asperger's syndrome avoid dangerous situations, which leads to frequent visits to the local emergency room. Medical workers may be surprised by the child's behavior or feel that the child's parents are not looking after him or her properly.

Often parents are very concerned about how to understand that a child is experiencing chronic pain and needs help. medical care. Ear infections or appendicitis can progress to dangerous levels before they become known. Side effects drugs may go unnoticed. Toothache and menstrual pain may never be mentioned. The parents of one child noticed that he was not himself for several days, but he did not mention significant pain. After some time, they went to the doctor, and he diagnosed a displaced testicle, which had to be removed.

If a child with Asperger's syndrome rarely responds to pain, parents should be especially vigilant and watch for signs of discomfort and any physical manifestations of the disease, including elevated temperature body or inflammation. Parents can use strategies to facilitate emotional expression, such as an emotional thermometer, to help the child communicate the level of pain. It is also important to write a Social Story to explain to the child why it is important to tell adults about pain, and that this will help the child feel well again and avoid serious consequences.

The material presented above is a translation of chapter 7 from Tony Attwood’s book “Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals”.

The senses are our guides to the world around us, allowing us to receive information from it. Sensory perception is so important that it develops much earlier than all other areas. And a special role among others is played by tactile sensitivity, which includes not only the sense of touch as such, but also the sensation of pressure, as well as the sense of temperature.

How does tactile sensitivity develop in children?

Tactile sensitivity is already present in newborns, even if it is not yet fully formed, in particular this concerns pain. But such young children have an excellent sense of temperature: they react very sharply to its changes, as a result of which changing clothes often takes on unexpected difficulties.

Newborns also react to touch, especially the face and lips - touching the latter, as a rule, activates the sucking reflex.

However, over time, as the baby grows up, he becomes more and more interested in with my own hands and legs, and then begins to use his hands to interact with the outside world. From this moment, which begins around five to six months, active palpating and licking of all objects that only the child is able to reach begins.

This reaches its apogee when the child learns to crawl, since now he can independently reach the toys and objects that interest him. During this period, there is also usually a sharp advance in the development of thinking, and as a result, speech.

What exercises can parents use?

Surely everyone knows how little children are eager to touch and feel everything that comes to their hands. And this is simply wonderful, because it provides parents with a huge field for activity.

1. Invite the child to close his eyes and feel the toy or figurine, and then describe what he felt. You can complicate this game by putting several small toys in an opaque bag and inviting the child to put his hand in there and feel for one, after which, without removing the toy from the bag, ask him to guess what exactly he felt and why he decided that way.
2. The simplest exercise is to alternately pass various pieces of fabric over the child’s hands or body: flannel, wool, velvet, fur, silk - whatever you can find. Alternatively, you can wrap the baby entirely in towels of different structures, blankets, blankets, or put a fur coat or coat directly on top of light home clothes.
3. Playing with various cereals is also useful for children: pour them from container to container, sort through them. You can bury a small toy in a jar of cereal or sand, then invite the child to find it.
4. If possible, it is advisable to let your child walk barefoot on different surfaces: grass, sand, pebbles, clay. At home you can be allowed to walk around different tissues, peas or specially selected smooth pebbles, roll massage balls with your feet.
5. Massage is extremely useful not only for the baby’s general health, but also for the development of tactile sensitivity. Especially if it is carried out in different ways: with the help of hands, massage mittens, rubber massage balls, etc.
6. Playing with sand, clay, and modeling from plasticine not only help develop imagination, but also develop the sense of touch. Playing with water, putting your hands in water of different temperatures, feeling various objects under and outside the water, comparing frozen dishes and a glass of hot tea are also useful.
7. Games with rustling polyethylene, protective packaging with bubbles, paper or foil that can be crumpled will be useful.

Child and tactile hypersensitivity

Hearing, vision, smell, touch, or tactile sensitivity - these five senses are the channels through which our brain receives information about the outside world. Each sense organ is adapted to perceive certain environmental factors. The information coming from them is analyzed and processed by specialized parts of the brain. Touch is the first sense that appears in our life. Even in the womb, the fetus begins to perceive its surroundings by touching the walls of the uterus. Tactile sensitivity is provided by many receptors distributed over the surface of the skin. These receptors respond to mechanical stimulation, changes in pressure, or repeated pressure. On average, their density is about 50 per square millimeter of skin, but they are distributed unevenly: on the tips of the fingers, which have fine sensitivity, there are the most of them. It is with our fingertips that we sometimes want to touch a new surface and get certain sensations, compare them with others that are already familiar. Touch causes completely different sensations depending on what the object we touched is made of. For example, we can get a feeling of softness when we come into contact with cake dough, cashmere, baby skin, a fur hat, or a feather bed; we get a feeling of roughness from contact with a stone, sandpaper, or mat; Ice, dishwashing liquid, vegetable oil, a frog feel slippery, while glass, satin fabric, polished furniture, a billiard ball, etc. seem smooth. However, you can notice that some children clearly avoid contact with specific surfaces and withdraw their hands. away from the object, clench their fingers into fists, and are hostile to other people’s touches. Often such children turn their faces away from everything that is too close to them, do not like to be touched by any objects or even touched by hands, and tend to avoid any physical contact; similar reactions are observed in relation to changes in body position in space. According to American doctor Anne Jean Ayres (1920-1988), this problem may be associated with increased sensitivity to tactile stimuli. Atypical sensitivity (hypo or hypersensitivity) is commonly referred to as sensory modulation disorder. E. J. Ayres believes that if the brain cannot “calm down” the sensory impulses of at least one of sensory systems, these impulses will interfere with the child and cause negative behavior. It is important to carefully observe the child to make sure what sensations are associated with his reactions. It happens that a child with tactile hypersensitivity avoids playing even soft toys, popular with other children. How to find out if a child has tactile hypersensitivity? D. Ayres offers a questionnaire, the majority of positive answers to which may indicate the presence of this problem in a child:

Does your child avoid other people's touch?

Turns his face away from everything that is close to him?

Is he more afraid of doctor's examinations than other children?

Can't stand it when his hair or nails are cut?

Doesn't like being touched even in a friendly way?

Avoids hugs, even pats on the shoulder?

Tend to avoid any physical contact?

Does it react differently and strangely to touch every time?

Does he react negatively to dressing, certain types of clothing?

Worried if someone approaches him from behind and he doesn't see him?

Does he get very anxious when people are close to him?

Avoids touching certain surfaces?

Feeling the need for some kind of touch?

Doesn't he like to dip his fingers in the sand or dip them in special paints?

Doesn't like to touch glue and similar materials?

Particularly picky about the texture or temperature of food?

Tactile hypersensitivity is not noticeable, but is a serious neurological disorder. Children with severe hypersensitivity are emotionally unprotected: probably, a malfunction of the tactile system makes the emotional sphere vulnerable. Tactile hypersensitivity is the tendency to react negatively and emotionally to the sensations of touch. This reaction occurs only under certain conditions. Children with hypersensitivity react strongly to stimuli that we barely notice. Touch sensations lead to serious disruptions in their nervous system, which is the reason negative emotions and inappropriate behavior. Suppression (inhibition) is a neural process in which one area of ​​the nervous system prevents another area from overreacting to sensory impulses. Each of us has a nervous system that continuously receives tactile signals from the entire surface of the skin. However, most people suppress the perception of these sensations and prevent the nervous system from responding to them. In a child with increased sensitivity to tactile stimuli, they are weakly suppressed, so very often tactile sensations are uncomfortable for him. Relatives are sometimes offended if the child avoids their touches or hugs; it seems to them that he does not love them. In fact, such rejection is not personal. With increased sensitivity to tactile stimuli, the child feels touch differently than other children. Touching a pencil for such children is compared to a needle prick, an electric charge, or an insect bite. Poor processing of tactile signals usually occurs in the brain stem or areas of the hemispheres that are not accessible to consciousness, so the child is not aware that his reactions are caused by touch. As a rule, children with tactile hypersensitivity are not fully aware of their sensations, with the exception of irritation or discomfort caused by the actions of others. Discomfort is a real sensation and a child cannot suppress a reaction to it.

When interacting with hypersensitive children, you should adhere to the following rules:

1. respect the child’s reactions to different situations, taking into account the characteristics of his reaction;

2. try to touch the child with your entire palm, and not with your fingertips, this is how you can reduce irritation, given that light touches usually irritate more than constant strong pressure;

3. periodically offer the child various toys and objects for interaction;

4. try to use the “sandwich” technique more often, that is, place the child between large pillows in order to “calm down” excessive sensitivity to touch;

5. pay attention to the types of fabrics, clothes, toys that the child can independently come into contact with;

6. observe the child, without forcing him to participate in games, but promoting and supporting his initiative for independent action;

7. support the child’s desire to acquire new tactile experiences;

8. timely prevent the development of negative processes;

9. promote the development of trusting relationships;

10. develop interest in the world around us.

Literature:

1. E. Jean Ayres with the participation of Jeff Robbins “The Child and Sensory Integration”, Terevinf, 2009

2. “How to improve memory”, Reader's Digest Publishing House, 2005