Tactile defensiveness

The tactile system helps us experience the sense of touch. Tactile receptors are found in our skin, and they let us notice and tell the difference between different sensations, such as pressure, vibration, movement, temperature and pain.

Some children are very sensitive to touch and can become easily overwhelmed or scared by normal activities. This sensitivity can make it hard for them to play, interact with others, and take care of themselves, like brushing their hair or teeth.

It’s important to remember that it’s normal for children to avoid certain activities at different stages of their development. For example, it’s common for 3-year-olds to be picky about food, and toddlers often don’t like things like brushing teeth.

What you may see

Children with tactile defensiveness may avoid touching, become fearful of or bothered by any of the following:

• textured materials / items, messy things
• hugs or kisses
• certain clothing textures, labels or seams in clothing.
  rough or bumpy bed sheets
• light touch
• hands or face being dirty
• wind blowing on bare skin, bare feet touching grass or sand
• they may be extremely fussy with their food
• only use their finger tips to touch textures for instance when playing with sand, glue, paint, Playdoh, food, glitter etc.

It is not uncommon for a child with tactile defensiveness to hit out if they are touched or bumped into at school. Be aware of this type of reaction and be proactive, such as putting them in the front or end of a line.

What you can do to help

Introduce touch experiences slowly and gradually, so the defensive reaction is avoided. The child should never be forced to touch anything they do not want to, as this will cause further avoidance. Monitor their non-verbal / verbal signals, for example whimpers or uncontrollable laughter suggest that it might be unpleasant and needs to stop.

Allow the child to direct the activities as much as possible, whilst still encouraging them to increase their boundaries. Tell the child that you will count to 5 for example so that they know when the activity will end and gradually increase time, increase number of fingers in messy substance, take photos of the successful activities to provide a visual reminder of progress.
If the child is fearful of any textures, introduce it in a less threatening way.

For example, they could push a toy cars or plastic animals through wet sand. After they begin to feel safe, slowly encourage them to try other fun ways which you model, such as using tools to touch it, splatting it, poking, pulling, rolling etc.

Eventually encourage the use of the whole hand, including palm. Move from dry textures to sticky to wet textures gradually.

Before doing touch activities such as self-care activities try the following to reduce the bodies over sensitivity. Supervision is essential. Provide appropriate support throughout the task. Make sure that the weight is suitable and they are completing the activity safely.

Firm touch – deep pressure tactile activities

• Big squashy cuddles. Count to 10 or 20 or sing your child’s favourite song / nursery rhyme so that there is a predictable end.
• Body sandwiches. Roll up in a mat or blanket and squash.
• Big ball squashing. Squash your child with a large therapy / exercise ball.

Resistive proprioception

• Body wrestling (pushing against each other).
• Wheelbarrow ball.
• Tug of war.
• Weight lifting. Lifting heavy things such as cans of beans, milk cartons filled with water, hanging towels on the washing line etc.
• Hanging on monkey bars.
• Fill a pillowcase and drag it up the stairs.
• Help with heavy household chores such as hoovering or carrying the laundry basket.

Vibration

• Vibrations help increase the child’s tolerance to tactile sensation and can be an alerting sensation.
• Vibration should not be used for extended periods of time as the body becomes use to the sensation and so it is less effective.
• It is more effective to provide the stimulation for a short time and then start again.

Self-care occupations

• Encourage checking in front of a mirror when dressed to check if it all looks right before asking for help.
• Undergarments and socks can be worn inside out – cut out labels.
• Use ‘heavy’ pressure downward strokes to reduce tactile defensiveness.
•  Encourage independence in washing as self-initiated touch produces less irritation.
• Make bath time enjoyable with bubbles different textured items such as a sponge, flannel, bath-mitt to increase association with a fun experience.
• Do they prefer a bath or shower as they may dislike the feeling of a shower?
• Use firm pressure rather than light.
• Use an eye shield to keep the water off their face.
• See whether they prefer washing their hair in a shower or washing hair with cup of water.
• Try dry shampoo to reduce the occasions you need to wash their hair.

Sensory tactile games

• Finding objects buried in beans or rice (uncooked).
• Massage lotion to hands and feet.
•  Massagers, such as a mini massager. Let them control the on / off switch and let them do it themself. Always stop if the child looks uncomfortable.

For tactile stimulation

• Touch and feel box – Cut a hole in a shoe box with a lid on it. Put various types of textures on the floor of the box like carpet, sandpaper, tile and wax paper, and have the child feel the textures. Then put different objects in the box and ask the child to try and guess what the object is.
• Explore different brushes and textures such as paintbrushes, scrub brushes, bathroom brushes.
• Cover equipment with interesting textures such as carpets, towels and velvet.
• Provide activities that provide tactile input on the child’s entire body. For example, a container with balls, sand or big soft pillows.
• Provide activities that encourage discrimination. Objects inside a bin full of beans, sand or Styrofoam.
• Use shaving cream, powder, finger paint, lotion, soap to encourage exploration, by dipping fingers into substance and writing on the skin or on a tray.
• Encourage awareness, use stickers on arms or legs and encourage the child to find them.
• Have a box with the different textures that are easy to pull out and incorporate into other activities. Include feathers and some of the materials mentioned above.
• Use battery operated toothbrush, regular toothbrushes and different food consistencies to provide tactile input in the oral area.

What you may notice

Children who have poor tactile discrimination are less sensitive to touch sensations, so they may not always feel or recognise touch on their skin as they should. Children with this difficulty may experience the following:

• be unaware if they have wet themselves
• be unaware if their face and hands are dirty
• seek out more touch experiences or like things such as rough or bumpy bed sheets
• may crave touch, needs to touch everything and everyone and may not be aware of being touched / bumped
• may not be bothered by injuries, like cuts and bruises or can be self harming; pinching, biting, or banging their own head
• they may have very clear food preferences and may crave excessively spicy, sweet, sour, or salty food
• repeatedly touches surfaces or objects that are soothing such as a blanket.
  thoroughly enjoys and seeks out messy play
• difficulty manipulating things in their hands such as crayons, scissors and utensils

Some additional signs of tactile difficulties include the following:

• poor safety awareness
• difficulty with fine and/or gross motor skills
• may need to visually watch their hands when they use them

What you can do to help

Children who have tactile discrimination difficulties might seem to have low energy or may be constantly moving and seeking sensory stimulation. If your child seems less alert, you can help increase their energy and attention by encouraging fast movement activities, such as those that stimulate the vestibular system.

• Trampoline.
• Playground activities including:
  • swings – in different positions such as lying on tummy or going headfirst
  • slides – going down seated or on their back
  • monkey bars
  • zip lines
  • hanging upside down off or over things or do other activities upside down (make sure they are safe).

Activities to wake up child’s hands, body and mouth

• Towelling (brisk rubbing).
• Tapping the skin.
• Using textured items.
• Massage.
• Active exercises.
• Vibration such as massage tube or vibrating neck cushion.

Play games and activities to develop tactile discrimination

• Find shapes and objects hidden in tubs of materials (corn flakes, rice, noodles, autumn leaves, potpourri) and identify what they are.
• Cooking.
• Draw on resistive surfaces (blackboards, pavement).
• Use a writing slope.
• Finger painting with added texture, such as sand in the paint.
• Foot spa. Identify different water temperatures.
• Leaf fights. Throwing autumn leaves around.
• Ball pit.
• Use shaving cream, powder, finger paint, lotion, soap, gel and encourage fine motor coordination and tactile discrimination, by dipping fingers into substance and writing on the skin.
• Have a box with the different textured items that are easy to pull out and incorporate into other activities. Include vibration toys, feathers, tactile brushes etc.
• Use tactile games such as tactile dominoes, noughts and crosses, tactile puzzles.
• Play obstacle courses and games through different textures. For example, a tunnel made with carpeted equipment, sand paper on a balance beam, walking through a pile of leaves etc.

Last reviewed November 2025