top of page

Tactile System

What is the Tactile System?

The Tactile system includes different types of sensation identified by the skin. These sensations can be distinguished into light touch, vibration, pressure, pain and temperature. Light touch, pressure and vibration allow a person to know how heavy, smooth, rough, big or small an object is. Pain and temperature helps to allow the person to feel itch and tickles. It is also a protective component which allow us not to be scald by hot water by causing us to pull our hands away.

​

The nervous system inability to process tactile sensory input will cause great discomfort in the students. The 2 types of tactile sensory dysfunction is known as tactile hypersensitivity and tactile hypo-sensitivity. 

[Neuroscientifically Challenged, 2015]

Tactile Hypersensitivity

Tactile hypersensitivity is an increased in sensitivity to touch leading to extreme irritation and pain. This leads to the person grimacing and pulling away from the object.

Tactile hypo-sensitivity

Tactile hypo-sensitivity is being insensitive to touch. This cause the person to be unable to sense different textures accurately or feel changes in temperature. The lack of tactile sensory information causing the students to be underwhelm and that leads to the individual being sensory seeking.

[Neuroscientifically Challenged, 2015]

Signs of Dysfunction

Hypersensitivity to Input

Hyposensitivity to Input

  • Pull away from hugs

  • Feeling troubled in crowds

  • Refuse to walk barefoot on grainy floor

  • Avoid certain clothing textures.

  • Eat only food of certain textures

  • Distress when hand is dirty

  • Overreact to minor cuts

  • Avoid using hands to play

  • Likes to touch everything

  • Enjoy messy play

  • Self-abusive (e.g., pinching, biting, cutting  and head banging)

  • Put objects into the mouth

  • Hurting others unknowingly while playing

bottom of page