Tactile System

(Retrieved from: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-testing/from-the-lab-blog/clothing-swaps)

Imagine...you are rummaging around in your drawers to find your favourite top, you fingers brush the fabric and you pull it out, even though you couldnt see it. This is an example of your tactile sytem at work.

When working with a child to calm a hyper-responsive tactile system or activities for a child avoiding tactile input therapeutic activities should include:
Predictable moderate to deep slow skin pressure on locations such as the back, dorsolateral surfaces of the extremities or face (Case-Smith, 1998)

Specific activity ideas:
Messy play– shaving, cream, damp sand etc.
If this is too much, try non-messy play – Put multi coloured paint in a zip lock bag, mix and write with the paint through the bag.
Try to find hidden items in Playdough
Slow massage
Long, sustained stroking of the skin in one direction

Arousing a hypo-responsive tactile system or activities for a child seeking tactile input
Therapeutic activities should include:
Unpredictable rapid light movement on the ventromedial extremity surfaces (Case-Smith, 1998).

Specific activity ideas:
Play in a ball pit
‘Swimming’ through a fabric tunnel
Messy play
Playdough/Theraputty

Case-Smith, J. (1998). Pediatric occupational therapy and early intervention (2nd ed.). Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Kranowitz, C. S. (2003). The out-of-sync child has fun. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc.