My child dislikes having his hands touched or manipulated. How can we interact with him in a more acceptable way?
Do not manipulate the child s hands or force him or her to touch something that he resists. Consult with an occupational therapist regarding the child s hand use and responses to tactile input, and to obtain suggestions. Use tactile strategies that allow the child to maintain control over his or her own hands (see the previous discussions on mutual tactile attention, hand-under-hand and hierarchy of prompts). Create playful interactions involving hand games or finger plays that you both enjoy (e.g., pat-a-cake for a young child and High Fives for an older one) and follow the child s lead by imitating his manual actions (e.g., clapping hands, tapping a tambourine, or playing a keyboard). 17. My child is totally blind and has some hearing and poor muscle strength (very low tone). He doesn t like to manipulate or explore objects. I have to manipulate his hands to help him with everything. How can I help my child participate without continuously moving his hands? Discuss your concern with
