Sensory Profile : Touch Seeker
Your struggle zone – what and when to touch
Touch is a real stimulant for you – you seek and crave it. Sometimes you may be inappropriate with touching other people’s clothes or hair because you enjoy the sensation. You may like the feel and texture of inappropriate things like faeces or playing with your genitals. You might like the weight of extra blankets on your bed, or layers of clothes.
You may have a high pain threshold and self-harm to feel the pain and the sensation. You may not feel food in your mouth and seek out oral stims or enjoy chewing inedible objects and clothing. You may enjoy tight hugs and rough play. Perhaps you cannot walk past certain clothing racks in a shop without stroking them.
Study what you like, work it out like you’re Sherlock Holmes solving the touch mystery. Understand why and when you need that input and create safer, more appropriate alternatives that satisfy your needs.
Secret weapons:
- For oral touch needs – consider chewies, crunching ice, sucking on boiled sweets, blowing bubbles, chewing gum.
- Fidgets can also work like a dream – try fidget rings.
- For the body, tryweighted therapysuch as blankets or compression vests. Invest in slime or putty, or even make your own. Check out our fabulousJumping Clay range.
- For self-harm, try and find an alternative that satisfies your need to feel and replace the behaviour, this will take time and perseverance but can be done.
- Hand fidgets and worry stones.
