The Tactile System

1. Overview

• The tactile system includes the nerves under the skin’s surface

• The information sent to the brain includes light touch, pain, pressure, and temperature

• This helps the person be aware of the environment and also for protective reasons

• Two Subsystems:1. Discriminatory: which lets us know where we’re

being touched2. Protective: lets us know if we need to protect

ourselves

A. Structure; What does it look like ?

B. Function: How does it work?• The body has multiple types of sensation Ex) light touch, pain, pressure, temperature, and

muscle and joint • All these are on three different pathways to the

spinal cord• From there, the next target is the person's brain

II. Childhood

• When a baby is born, their reflexes are rigid Ex) when a baby’s foot is tickled, this shows how the

tactile system influences the whole body• Overtime, these generalized response should be

integrated • Which basically means that overtime the whole body

won’t respond to touch Ex) some toys are interactive so it introduces touch to

babies

A.How it starts

• The young child locates what kind of touch is experienced and where

Ex) light or deep• The tactile system develops more than when the

person was a baby• Alerts when possible dangers are coming Ex) Light touch stimulates hair and superficial skin

cells and sends it the brain to interpret if there are any possible dangers

B. Development

III. Tactile Defensiveness

• Tactile defensiveness skin is over sensitive• It’s wired to a part of the brain that alerts the system

to danger• The person with this can’t tell the difference

between a threat and a neutral touch Ex) Is Mom going in to hug me or to hurt me?• The child doesn’t know if it needs to be on the

defensive or not

A. What happens?

• Carry on through their childhood and through adulthood with this

• Can’t have a relationship, since sensitive to touch

• Treatment can include consulting with a sensory integration therapist

B. If left untreated

Quiz1. Which subsystem lets us know where we’re being

touched?a) Protectiveb) Defensec) Discriminatoryd) Transitional2. What are two examples of the types of sensations

humans feel?e) Pain and pressuref) Love and hateg) Threat and neutralh) Hard and soft

3. What is an example of a reflex babies have when they are young?

a) Hungry so they cryb) Tickles the foot so they jerk it awayc) Sleepy so they yawnd) Happy so they laugh4. What is Tactile Defensiveness?e) A disorder where the child has over sensitive skinf) A disorder where the child can’t feel touchg) A disorder where the child can’t sleeph) A disorder where the child feels everything5. What are some ways to help Tactile Defensiveness?i) There are no waysj) Take medicinek) It will eventually go awayl) Consult with a therapist

6. What two organs are involved in the tactile system?

a) Heart and brainb) Heart and nervesc) Brain and nervesd) Brain and eyes7. What is the first step of the tactile system?e) Through the nervesf) The eyes see what is going to be touched firstg) The brain thinks about it firsth) The nose smells it first

8. What is the last step of the tactile system?a) The heart feels itb) Returns to the nervesc) The person touches it againd) The brain interprets it 9. In the development stage, what does the tactile

help with?e) Enjoying the touchf) Alerting for dangerg) Nothingh) Telling differences between different things

10. What does it mean when “the generalized response should be integrated?”

a) The whole body won’t respond to the touchb) The whole body will respond to the touchc) Two feelings of touch will merged) There will be no touch

BibliographyWorks Cited

• Gescheider, George A., John H. Wright, and Ronald T. Verrillo. Information-processing Channels in the Tactile Sensory System: A Psychophysical and Physiological Analysis. New York: Psychology, 2009. Print.

• "Pediatric Occupational Therapy Tips." : The Tactile, Vestibular, and Proprioceptive Systems. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2013.

• "The Tactile System and Sensory Processing Disorder." Sensory Processing Disorder Made Simple. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 May 2013.

• "TREATING TACTILE DEFENSIVENESS IN THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT." TREATING TACTILE DEFENSIVENESS IN THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2013.