Tactile Defensiveness
Helen is a little girl with Down syndrome who has tactile defensiveness and sensory processing issues. Julie Mortenson, an occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, MN describes that Helen’s mouth, the palms of her hands, and the soles of her feet do not process tactile stimulation normally; even gentle contact causes her pain. As a result, she had been easily distracted if these areas were touched.
Through a teaching and acclimation process in the HydroWorx pool, Helen has made dramatic progress in cognitive tasks and following directions.