Torchwood, Owen, sensory issues
Mar. 20th, 2008 03:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beccaelizabethI've been working on a post about Owen's new sensory issues. As per usual I've been running into that thing where I know things a little but now have to trundle around the web evaluating the usefulness of sources. I've got like half a dozen windows open right now so I'm going to paste them in here and go do something else.
First of all: tactile perception and proprioception are different things. Being Hyposensitive to tactile perception doesn't necessarily mean he loses proprioception; his skin might not know it is being touched but he might know where all his muscles and suchlike are.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception
... even Wiki thinks bits of this article are dodgy. Helpful. But this bit sounds about right:
The proprioceptive sense is believed to be composed of information from sensory neurons located in the inner ear (motion and orientation) and in the stretch receptors located in the muscles and the joint-supporting ligaments (stance). There are specific nerve receptors for this form of perception termed "proprioceptors", just as there are specific receptors for pressure, light, temperature, sound, and other sensory experiences.
So Owen's receptors for light and sound are working fine; we lack data on temperature; pain is gone.
His continuing coordination and ability to move despite his lack of tactile sensation would be because his proprioception is working as well as it ever was. And why he wouldn't know that? Well my biology teacher at school had to look it up, and then told me it counted as Touch in the five senses. Apparently an easy mistake?
Why I know about it? Poor proprioception and sensory integration issues are apparently common among aspies. Found an article: "The pattern of impairments suggests that a proprioceptive deficit may underlie the incoordination observed in AS and that these individuals may be overreliant on visual input to maintain balance and position in space." We is clumsy cause we don't so much know where we're at.
There's other observed difficulties too, all with suggested fixes of varying useful. So the different senses get noticed apart, because someone can have problems with hypersensitivity in one, hyposensitivity in another, and a great big mixture in something else. Sorting out that a kid seeks pressure but can't stand a light touch, and that they avoid other people because they tend to bump into them... that takes some careful noticing. Also, is easy to be wrong about.
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/proprioceptive-dysfunction.html
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processing-disorders.html
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processing-disorder-checklist.html
all look interesting, but I don't know if this is a good sciencey source or not.
I'd have to poke around and learn stuff to know that.
I'm better at figuring out English Lit, due to that being what I've learned about thus far.
HYPOSENSITIVITY TO TOUCH (under-responsive):
__ may crave touch, needs to touch everything and everyone
__ is not aware of being touched/bumped unless done with extreme force or intensity
__ is not bothered by injuries,like cuts and bruises, and shows no distress with shots (may even say they love getting shots!)
__ may not be aware that hands or face are dirty or feel his/her nose running
__ may be self-abusive; pinching, biting, or banging his own head
__ mouths objects excessively
__ frequently hurts other children or pets while playing
__ repeatedly touches surfaces or objects that are soothing (i.e., blanket)
__ seeks out surfaces and textures that provide strong tactile feedback
__ thoroughly enjoys and seeks out messy play
__ craves vibrating or strong sensory input
POOR TACTILE PERCEPTION AND DISCRIMINATION:
__ has difficulty with fine motor tasks such as buttoning, zipping, and fastening clothes
__ may not be able to identify which part of their body was touched if they were not looking
__ may be afraid of the dark
__ may be a messy dresser; looks disheveled, does not notice pants are twisted, shirt is half untucked, shoes are untied, one pant leg is up and one is down, etc.
__ has difficulty using scissors, crayons, or silverware
__ continues to mouth objects to explore them even after age two
__ has difficulty figuring out physical characteristics of objects; shape, size, texture, temperature, weight, etc.
__ may not be able to identify objects by feel, uses vision to help; such as, reaching into backpack or desk to retrieve an item
/quote
Owen's issues are going to be more extreme - could be no amount of input is going to be enough.
I'd never connected afraid of the dark with sensory issues; interesting thought.
But if he's lost tactile perception then if he closes his eyes he's one silence away from full on sensory deprivation. And that makes people nuts even if they start out well adjusted. Add in his something-in-the-dark trauma, and... yeah.
... the 'mouthing' thing makes me think thoughts that are entirely unrelated to checklists for kids.
the other lists are interesting because they won't necessarily apply. IF all his problems are tactile, and IF that list is a good souce... Owen? None of that. His fingers are going to lose some detail, but mostly he's good for movement.
... He was trying to be a surgeon. He's going to be really frustrated about fine detail loss.
And having to ask Rhys to help? ... yeah, frustating don't quite cover it.
Confidence loss mixed in too?
And then there's
http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/proprioception/index.html
a game that explains proprioception. It isn't touch. It's wiggle.
... and then there was another window but it only says their webhosting ran out.
So, anyway, this ISN'T proper research, it isn't even a good start, but I think I'm bored now.
Plus? Insufficient data. All we know for sure about Owen's issues: Can move with about as much coordination as ever, can do his fiddly scalpel related job still, isn't confident his hands are up to using the fiddly instrument, can't feel pain.
Further research: I know there's a disorder where kids can't feel pain. I remember it because one kid had to have all her teeth removed because she was biting herself so badly and didn't know it was bad yet. That too would be relevant. Though Owen has probably learnt the lesson through visuals and persistent impairment. That hand - things he cannot change.
Also, there has to be stuff that's just about losing tactile sensation. I was just looking up proprioception, the stuff he does still have, so I found that other stuff.
First of all: tactile perception and proprioception are different things. Being Hyposensitive to tactile perception doesn't necessarily mean he loses proprioception; his skin might not know it is being touched but he might know where all his muscles and suchlike are.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception
... even Wiki thinks bits of this article are dodgy. Helpful. But this bit sounds about right:
The proprioceptive sense is believed to be composed of information from sensory neurons located in the inner ear (motion and orientation) and in the stretch receptors located in the muscles and the joint-supporting ligaments (stance). There are specific nerve receptors for this form of perception termed "proprioceptors", just as there are specific receptors for pressure, light, temperature, sound, and other sensory experiences.
So Owen's receptors for light and sound are working fine; we lack data on temperature; pain is gone.
His continuing coordination and ability to move despite his lack of tactile sensation would be because his proprioception is working as well as it ever was. And why he wouldn't know that? Well my biology teacher at school had to look it up, and then told me it counted as Touch in the five senses. Apparently an easy mistake?
Why I know about it? Poor proprioception and sensory integration issues are apparently common among aspies. Found an article: "The pattern of impairments suggests that a proprioceptive deficit may underlie the incoordination observed in AS and that these individuals may be overreliant on visual input to maintain balance and position in space." We is clumsy cause we don't so much know where we're at.
There's other observed difficulties too, all with suggested fixes of varying useful. So the different senses get noticed apart, because someone can have problems with hypersensitivity in one, hyposensitivity in another, and a great big mixture in something else. Sorting out that a kid seeks pressure but can't stand a light touch, and that they avoid other people because they tend to bump into them... that takes some careful noticing. Also, is easy to be wrong about.
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/proprioceptive-dysfunction.html
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processing-disorders.html
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processing-disorder-checklist.html
all look interesting, but I don't know if this is a good sciencey source or not.
I'd have to poke around and learn stuff to know that.
I'm better at figuring out English Lit, due to that being what I've learned about thus far.
HYPOSENSITIVITY TO TOUCH (under-responsive):
__ may crave touch, needs to touch everything and everyone
__ is not aware of being touched/bumped unless done with extreme force or intensity
__ is not bothered by injuries,like cuts and bruises, and shows no distress with shots (may even say they love getting shots!)
__ may not be aware that hands or face are dirty or feel his/her nose running
__ may be self-abusive; pinching, biting, or banging his own head
__ mouths objects excessively
__ frequently hurts other children or pets while playing
__ repeatedly touches surfaces or objects that are soothing (i.e., blanket)
__ seeks out surfaces and textures that provide strong tactile feedback
__ thoroughly enjoys and seeks out messy play
__ craves vibrating or strong sensory input
POOR TACTILE PERCEPTION AND DISCRIMINATION:
__ has difficulty with fine motor tasks such as buttoning, zipping, and fastening clothes
__ may not be able to identify which part of their body was touched if they were not looking
__ may be afraid of the dark
__ may be a messy dresser; looks disheveled, does not notice pants are twisted, shirt is half untucked, shoes are untied, one pant leg is up and one is down, etc.
__ has difficulty using scissors, crayons, or silverware
__ continues to mouth objects to explore them even after age two
__ has difficulty figuring out physical characteristics of objects; shape, size, texture, temperature, weight, etc.
__ may not be able to identify objects by feel, uses vision to help; such as, reaching into backpack or desk to retrieve an item
/quote
Owen's issues are going to be more extreme - could be no amount of input is going to be enough.
I'd never connected afraid of the dark with sensory issues; interesting thought.
But if he's lost tactile perception then if he closes his eyes he's one silence away from full on sensory deprivation. And that makes people nuts even if they start out well adjusted. Add in his something-in-the-dark trauma, and... yeah.
... the 'mouthing' thing makes me think thoughts that are entirely unrelated to checklists for kids.
the other lists are interesting because they won't necessarily apply. IF all his problems are tactile, and IF that list is a good souce... Owen? None of that. His fingers are going to lose some detail, but mostly he's good for movement.
... He was trying to be a surgeon. He's going to be really frustrated about fine detail loss.
And having to ask Rhys to help? ... yeah, frustating don't quite cover it.
Confidence loss mixed in too?
And then there's
http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/proprioception/index.html
a game that explains proprioception. It isn't touch. It's wiggle.
... and then there was another window but it only says their webhosting ran out.
So, anyway, this ISN'T proper research, it isn't even a good start, but I think I'm bored now.
Plus? Insufficient data. All we know for sure about Owen's issues: Can move with about as much coordination as ever, can do his fiddly scalpel related job still, isn't confident his hands are up to using the fiddly instrument, can't feel pain.
Further research: I know there's a disorder where kids can't feel pain. I remember it because one kid had to have all her teeth removed because she was biting herself so badly and didn't know it was bad yet. That too would be relevant. Though Owen has probably learnt the lesson through visuals and persistent impairment. That hand - things he cannot change.
Also, there has to be stuff that's just about losing tactile sensation. I was just looking up proprioception, the stuff he does still have, so I found that other stuff.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-03-21 12:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-21 07:51 am (UTC)I don't know if that helps at all, but I thought I would share just in case it helps. Feel free to ask me more, if you want...I don't mind. :)
no subject
Date: 2008-03-21 07:34 pm (UTC)Thanks for that.