Autism Touch and Intensive Interaction
Posted by
bumblebee
on 1st September 2010
at 09:51
Hi Ann,
I think this is really interesting...My first thought was that I wondered if adults are fearful of the society we are in nowadays and think that touch of any type could be mis interpreted as something negative or sinister (sp?!) It is such a shame as you say touch can be really important and comforting. I also wonder if there is some stigma attached to working with adults and touch for the same reasons?
I hate being touched if I dont expect it too. My oldest likes playing with people's hair but she doesnt warn us first and the amount of times I flinch away or say 'get off' as an imediate reaction and Its a shame as it gives her a negative response and I quite like my hair being played with!
At work, If I am going to touch a child, maybe to hold thier hands to show them how to do something, I always warn them first and ask if its ok....If I saw a child upset at work, I would naturally put my hand on thiers in an effort to comfort them....I dont know much about this type of interaction and support but what I do know makes so much sense and seems pretty obvious that it would work! It is always the way though, the simplest and obvious ways are usually the best!
Claire - Community Champion
Posted by
amberlight
on 1st September 2010
at 14:18
http://www.jkp.com/catalogue/book/9781849050883
This DVD from Phoebe is brilliant at showing how touch and sound can connect to many of us on the autism spectrum, provided we consent to it and it's done in a safe way. Watched it last night and there's just so much in it to enjoy.
Yes, I think that people assume that all touch = bad, yet if we're left without safe touch from friends and helpers and family, it can be hugely lonely. Humans are a tactile species, and asking us to live with nothing other than 'clinical efficient' touch is like saying that all smiling is evil or that all food is harmful therefore we shouldn't eat. I think people have largely lost the ability to think clearly about how we interact with each other. I've seen such good working from autism assistants and therapy staff in schools and settings, allowing the children to feel reassured and learn what safe touch is supposed to be like.
What worries me in particular is that if we never show children what safe touch is supposed to be like, it leaves them open to predators saying "of course it's like this! What I'm doing to you is perfectly normal" and doing something really wrong with them.
Ann - Community Champion
Posted by
damo73
on 6th September 2010
at 10:50
Hello Amber,
Me and my son work a great deal with touch and sound. As 'passive' types, 'intensive interaction' helps a lot. I'd agree that 'consent' (and what I would call trust) is fundamental though and should not be assumed always.
Thanks for starting this strand up,
Damian - Community Champion
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Posted by
amberlight
on 31st August 2010
at 14:25
One of our new members, Becky, asked about Intensive Interaction. Whilst I'm not any sort of expert in it, I thought it was worth a thread.
Phoebe Caldwell's work has been mentioned on here in the past (fairly easy to google her work, particularly the online video "Reaching Ricky". Dave Hewett is another practitioner in this sort of work.
Intensive interaction seems to be a great way to get non-verbal and profoundly autistic children to respond and interact, but so little has ever been done on using similar techniques for adults. In particular, Dave Hewett talks a lot about the huge importance of safe touch, and the way it helps people on the autism spectrum bond, learn about safe relationships, learn where our body's boundaries are, etc.
It seems to me that touch is one area of interpersonal contact that so very few people ever mention. Yet adults on the autism spectrum are 75 times more likely to have no friends than other people, and live lives that are often so very lonely and so very lacking in any sort of human contact. Think of the times that you or family members put a comforting arm on a shoulder, or ruffle someone's hair, pat them on the arm, hold their hand to comfort them, etc. Or look at people doing social kisses and semi-hugs with each other if they know each other. We are such a tactile species...but there's barely a word about the use of touch with anything but young children.
What are our thoughts on this? Me, I'm scared of unexpected touch because it hurts. But if it's someone I trust and it's consensual and safe, it really helps me to just relax and connect with them. A reassuring hand on a shoulder or arm can make a huge difference if I'm scared, as can a reassuring safe hug from soneone I trust.
What do we fear about asking to use physical contact of that safe sort? Why is it so little explored?
What else is interesting about the Intensive Interaction type of work?