Asperger's - The Itchy Tag Effect

Ever been bugged by an especially itchy woolclothing, such as t-shirts and baggy shortso Avoid
sweater? Or been horrified at the shrill sound ofbody piercings and tattooso Find showering
fingernails being dragged down a chalkboard?unpleasant due to oversensitivity to sensations of
Just imagine if your day was filled with suchwater and changes in temperatureo Remove tags
experiences, and you and your loved ones werefrom clothing, which can be itchyo Choose specific
at a loss as to how to understand or help.brands of clothing, underwear and shoes which
Most of us familiar with the basic symptomsprovide minimal restrictiono Find ways to gain
associated with Asperger Disorder understandtactile input which is soothing, such as hair-pulling,
that people with Asperger's often seemhair twirling, hand tapping, etc.o Enjoy stroking
hypersensitive. Children with Asperger's todaysoft materials, such as the fur of cats
often readily voice their discomfort with textures,Clients who struggle with visual hypersensitivity
noises and scents they find uncomfortable, andoften:o Avoid visually overwhelming
this discomfort has become, if not an acceptedenvironmentso Wear sunglasses or hats to
diagnostic criteria, a very familiar phenomenon forminimize bright lightso Remove lamps or bulbs in
parents.work areas to reduce glareo Cover fluorescent
In their April, 2009 article Talent in Autism, Simonlightso Close blinds during work time to prevent
Baron-Cohen et al describe sensoryinterruption by visual stimuli such as passers-byo
hypersensitivity, a form of enhanced perceptualKeep work areas neatly organized to prevent
functioning typical of many individuals with autismbecoming visually overstimulatedo Find visually
spectrum conditions (ASC). Indeed, the articlepredictable environments, such as video games,
states that "studies using questionnaires such asrewarding and comfortable
the sensory profile have revealed sensoryClients with auditory oversensitivity often:o "Tune
abnormalities in over 90per cent of children without" when conversation becomes too
ASC." How individuals process information (bothoverwhelming to attend too Avoid interacting in
cognitive and sensory) may be highly impacted,crowded settings, such as parties, or use
even organized according to, these differences:substances to mediate oversensitivityo Rely on
and the differences may cause distress, but alsoelectronics, such as iPods, to provide predictable
predispose to unusual talent.auditory stimulationo Wear noise-cancelling
Sensory: oversensitivities often reported by adultsheadphones when concentrating or meditatingo
with Asperger's include:Spend quiet, solitary time to "recover" from
Tactile: oversensitivity can cause the individual tooverstimulating experienceso Avoid telephone and
feel physical sensations such as light touch, itchycell phone use to minimize unanticipated auditory
fabrics, hugs and bare feet as unbearable.inputo Hum, sing or make noises to cancel out
Visual: oversensitivity can cause the individual tonoises beyond individual's controlo Listen to music
find fluorescent lights, bright sunlight, flashing lightsexcessively
and overly stimulating visual environments (e.g.If you have noticed your own or a loved one's
casinos) to cause great discomfort.sensory hypersensitivity, be sure and treat it as
Auditory: oversensitivity can cause the individualcondition to take seriously. Some researchers
to find auditory input to be impossible to ignore.(see Belmonte et al., 2004) hypothesize that this
Foreground and background noises can competesensory "magnification" may result from neural
with one another, leaving the listener unable tooverconnectivity in sensory parts of the cerebral
selectively attend. Shrill or high pitched noises, suchcortex. While research on brain structure and
as those of dental drills, children's squeals ordevelopment differences is still being conducted,
shrieks, and blenders can cause extremesensory oversensitivity in adults with ASC is well
discomfort. Discordant music can causedocumented, and is most likely physiologically
discomfort.based.
Gustation: oversensitivity can cause the individualImplementing some simple interventions can help
to feel uncomfortable with new tastes, or to findthe individual with Asperger's feel much more
them intolerable. Children with gustationalcomfortable in the world. An increase in sensory
oversensitivity can prefer the same foods overcomfort can have drastic effects on cognition,
and over again, refusing new foods and findingavoidance behaviors and the ability to attend to
new flavors distressing.other stimuli. Many of my clients report irregular
Olfaction: Current research does not supportsleep/wake cycles, with much "down time" spent
evidence of oversensitivity for the sense of smell.recovering from situations which cause sensory
Clinicians who work with adults with Asperger'soverload. Taking care of yourself ahead of time
often find that this sensory hyperacuity has beenwhen facing a sensory challenging setting can
coped with and channeled in creative ways.prevent "sensory hangover", and is part of taking
Following are some of the coping mechanismscare of yourself.
reported to me by clients who have struggledStay tuned for more on how sensory
with sensory oversensitivity without knowingoversensitivity may be a contributing factor to
exactly what the problem was.talent and giftedness so often seen in adults with
Clients who struggle with tactile hypersensitivityAsperger's.
often:o Wear soft, heavily washed, loose-fitting