What is our Tactile System and how do we get Tactile Information?
Our tactile system has receptors (or nerves that take information to our brain) in our skin, which is our largest sense organ as it is present all over our body. There are many different touch receptors in our skin for pressure, touch, texture, temperature, and pain. This sensory system develops first in the womb and is therefore extremely important to our overall sensory development.
It is important to note that the hand and the mouth are tactilely linked until around the age of 1, so infants typically explore most toys first with their mouth. Your hands and your mouth have some of the highest nerve innervations, so your brain gets a lot of information from these areas tactilely.
What does Tactile Information do functionally for us?
Some of the information from our skin travels to an unconscious part of the brain, and it gives us information that affects our more primitive responses such as emotion, wakefulness, and helps give meaning to other types of sensory information. It tells us if input is dangerous. The conscious part of our brain is what processes where and what we are touching or are touched by.
How will you know if this is a favorite type of input for your child?
A child that enjoys tactile input explores with their hands. They will touch others and things to learn about them. It becomes an issue for a child if they “need” this type of input to organize themselves. The child will be constantly touching things or people, they may have difficulty keeping their hands to themselves, or may become very attached to a certain lovey that they cannot be without.
How will you know if this is not a favorite type of input for your child?
A child that does not enjoy tactile input may avoid getting messy and may request their hands wiped or washed repeatedly. They often will visually inspect things or smell things before touching them (as they use their other senses to explore safety before touch). It becomes an issue if they become very upset when touched unexpectedly or tantrum when their hands are dirty. Since tactile input is emotionally linked due to its neurological connections with the center of our brain that processes emotion, a lot of “behavioral” kids may be defensive from touch as you are constantly being touched by something (feet touch the floor, feet in shoes, body in clothes, wind on face, etc). These behaviors are seen as an outward sign of something inward that is affecting kiddos. Something to keep in mind is that if your kiddo has a difficult time getting messy or doesn’t like to touch new things, it may be an explanation for some behaviors you are seeing, and by addressing these concerns for them, and helping them process tactile input better, it may help alleviate some of their behavior that is not necessarily just disobedience.