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This section of this book was very helpful to me in understanding my son. Most of it describes him and his reactions exactly.
This is an excerpt from:
Cerebral Palsy : A Complete Guide for Caregiving (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book) by Freeman Miller, Steven J. Bachrach
HYPERSENSITIVITY
(tactile defensiveness, cold feet, blue feet)
The brain must receive or register stimuli in order for a response to occur. For this reason, individuals with cerebral palsy can experience a number of difficulties with the sensory system as a result of their brain abnormality. The problems frequently involve the senses of touch and equilibrium as well as awareness of the body’s movement and position in space. Individuals with CP also show hypersensitivity
to temperature which can be significant.
Hypersensitivity to touch is called tactile defensiveness. Normally, infants react to touch in a self-protective manner but become more comfortable as they learn to discriminate among degrees and varieties of touch. The individual who is unable to mature in this fashion remains highly reflexive and self-protective. The goal of therapy is to enable the child to develop an adaptive response to touch. The answer is not to avoid touching, but rather to have the child be gradually able to handle the sensation of being touched. Therapists use a number of techniques, including varied textures, to stimulate the desired responses.
Hypersensitivity to temperature typically shows itself in the feet and hands. Because of nervous system difficulties and poor control of circulation, the extremities are often cold to the touch and can show marked changes in color. These circulatory problems are not the same as those seen in individuals with diabetes or cardiac abnormalities, or even the vascular/circulatory abnormalities that are common in elderly individuals. The hypersensitive individual’s feet should be kept as warm as possible with
appropriate socks and shoes. In contrast to the situation of older individuals with other types of circulatory problems, they are not more at risk for ulcers, which can lead to infection and even amputation. In the child with cerebral palsy, these changes in color and temperature are only cosmetic. Except for making sure that the feet don’t get too cold, there should be no other restrictions or concerns. Hypersensitivity to external heat or cold can present difficulty for the individual with cerebral palsy because of the diminished ability to self-regulate body temperature. What this means is that a child sitting in an excessively warm room will not automatically be able to discharge heat and can become seriously overheated. Similarly, the self-regulating mechanism that conserves body heat in cold weather is impaired. Caregivers must be aware of external temperatures in order to monitor the individual’s comfort and safety.
Difficulties with equilibrium and position in space result from malfunction of the vestibular and proprioceptive systems. Individuals most commonly display two problems: gravitational insecurity and an intolerance of spinning or circular movement. Because of gravitational insecurity, the child may react with intense anxiety to a simple change in head position. For
example, he may become very frightened when placed on an examining table, not because he fears a needle, but because he has the sensation of falling. Spinning or turning may cause excessive nausea and discomfort. Reassurance, combined with therapeutic intervention aimed at bringing about an appropriate response to these sensations, can help a great deal.
Bridget Nichols
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