Hair Pulling
–
And other self stimming behaviors
Hair Pulling - called Trichotillomania
may be seen in SPD children and adults. Is not as uncommon as we may
think! This is one of many self stimulating or self soothing activities
we may see in SPD children and adults. Unconsciously, he or she may be
regulating internal functions, also referred to as the interoceptive
sense. Let me explain how:
In order to
be able to function normally, our bodies must maintain a number of
different systems in a state of balance, called homeostasis. This
internal regulation affects body temperature, blood pressure, heart
rate, respiration, and internal levels of stimulation. With an SPD
child or adult, if stimulation is too great, it results in stress to
the body. If too low, the child or adult falls into a state of sensory
deprivation. There is scientific evidence suggesting that in order to
function at an optimum level, we all need a certain level of
stimulation that is neither too high nor too low. With an SPD child or
adult, their nervous system seems unable to easily and automatically
regulate and manage these levels. When not working properly, the
individual feels compelled, not even being aware of it, to seek sensory
input.
In seeking sensory
stimulation, people tend to go to the sites where there are many nerve
endings. Hands, feet, mouth and scalps are common places. Many
different behaviors could be used to perform this balancing function
externally. Hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, cheek
biting, nose picking, *grin* are only a few of many that I have
seen. While any or all humans may engage in these behaviors
sometimes, the difference with SPD kids and adults, (whose behaviors
have become extreme versus those who are doing them on occasion)
are having difficulty regulating their internal levels of stimulation,
and are utilizing these methods for self stimulation or self soothing.
This
behavior provides an SPD person with Tactile Stimulation, by touching,
stroking, tugging and pulling hair. Visual stimulation occurs when
watching or observing hair during or after pulling, and Oral
stimulation by chewing or sliding through teeth.
Why this
could be helpful to an internal state of regulation to satisfy both or
either under-and over stimulation comes with the understanding that
each type of stimulation is the polar opposite of the other on a
continuum of sensory stimulation levels. It can be either soothing...or
stimulating, and bring about changes and more balance to internal
regulation.
What to
do? Is it becoming too much, destructive even? If this person has
already been diagnosed as an SPD child or adult, I would recommend
speaking to their therapist. Ask him/her about better ways to
learn to self-regulate. Find other, less destructive sources of
stimulation.
There are also
medications that have been used to help in severe cases. Consult with a
physician concerning that. There are also emotional, and even
environmental reasons a person may be hair pulling. If this person is
not already under the care of an Occupational Therapist, I would
suggest beginning with Michele Mitchell's
comprehensive SPD Checklist
for Children, or Adult and Adolescent Checklist to determine if an
evaluation is needed.
One of the
methods I like to see, is when we teach our SPD kids and adults how to
discover and identify how they are feeling. To recognize when they are
over or under stimulated. Then work together to find activities, with
each of the senses, to "feel better". The program "The
ALERT Program - How Does Your Engine Run? "
may help anyone learn alternative healthy
ways to seek input, that may be used so the person doesn't feel the
NEED to pull hair.
Providing
preventive methods, such as decreasing sensory overload, as needed, to
balance internal regulation when feeling the need for less stimulation,
as when overwhelmed or stressed, by providing calming activities
to soothe. And conversely, adding more sensory stimulation
when seeking, or craving more. The hair pulling habit
itself can be difficult to overcome, but I have seen improvements, by
offering different choices of stimulation. This is the most common
method I have seen utilized - substituting other forms of stimulation
to replace unhealthy, destructive or unsafe activities.
©2007, Michelle
Morris
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