Son Likes to Touch Necks and "soft" arms

by Heather
(Suquamish, WA, UAA)

Since my son was probably two, he started to squeeze peoples cheeks. This "cute" habit has stuck with him and now he is 5. He has to touch soft things and its almost involuntary. He has a younger sister (1) and he constantly touches under her chin, her neck and says he does it because she is so "squishy". He also likes to touch the nanny (65) on her soft and squishy arms, face etc.




Does anyone else have a child that does this?



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Aug 09, 2023
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		touching squishy body parts
by: Anonymous

My 4 y/o too has this impulse to press my neck and belly, just wondering how this has turned out for some of the other posters' kiddos, several years on. Thanks!
Sep 09, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		10 year old urge to squeeze
by: Anonymous

My son has been squeezing my arm for years. Mainly, just mine. Because I let him and it doesn’t bother me. He knows to keep his hands to himself. And you’d never know that he is always fighting and urge to squeeze an arm. Funny and sad. He gets tortured by the urge and asks me to bring him to a doctor. It’s very intense urge and he "feels like a weirdo". He has a great sense of humor but it bugs him. Going to the homeopathy and no gluten. I have always said gluten brings it out more. And some of his other quirks. Does anyone have any recommendations for treating something like this. ??
Jan 15, 2019
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Son says the same thing squishy arm
by: Anonymous

Yes my son likes sniffing and touching under my arm or whom ever he’s close with in the family. And I’ll wake up to my arm being squeezed. I ask him why; he says " your arm is squishy ". But he’s also always picking up little things from around the house and putting them in his pockets.
Jul 28, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Touching
by: Anonymous

My son who is 16 now, has all his life slowly with the tips of his fingers stroked the inside his arms. He even does it in his sleep. He doesn't do it all the time but does not even realize when he is doing it. This would normally tickle a person or cause me to itch but he said he finds it soothing. He also still likes to be completely naked when on the toilet. He has extreme sensitivity when combing his hair and likes things clean and neat a lot. What's going on here??
Oct 11, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Soft objects
by: Anonymous

Does she have a favorite soft object? Maybe she can keep it on her, & when the urge strikes she can touch her favorite soft object? Hope that or something else helps to sooth her desire.
Oct 11, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		My 4y/o daughter has to touch soft stuff
by: Angel

My daughter is 4 years old and she has to touch anything soft. If she thinks it's soft she has to touch it and even rub it on her face. At Walmart tonight and she asked the cashier if she could touch her hair to see if it was soft. I don't know what to do. Please can anybody help me out what should I do?
Oct 16, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Mine too
by: Anonymous

Yes, my son has an impulse to squeeze a lot. He has a small white pillow that he runs to and squeezes when he needs to, but when he is especially hyper or excited he squeezes our arms or faces (or other fatty body parts, lol) really hard. When he was 5 he got into trouble for "pinching", but it was actually his excitement and affection for another child that caused him to squeeze them. It is a little better now; he knows to keep his hands to himself in public and I think he senses that it is inappropriate behavior, but he still does it a lot at home (he is 9).
Mar 27, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Impulse control
by: Anonymous

Maybe you could offer him some sort of reward for going a certain amount of time without inappropriately touching someone. Try to reinforce any effort he makes to control his impulses. Many parents of SPD kids believe their child has a "need" to touch certain things, but I think we have to accept the idea that OTHER people (especially other children) have an equal right NOT to be touched against their will.
Mar 19, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Son Says He Likes To Touch "Soft" Things
by: Anonymous

My 9yo son likes to sleep with his underwear under his pillow because he says he likes to touch soft things when he sleeps. I am concerned because he is 9yo and he likes to sleep with these underwear whether they are clean or used. I gave him a blanket that was soft but yet he continues to use the the underwear instead. He is currently on Vyanse to control his ADHD. Should I be concerned about his behavior?
Mar 08, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Squishy seeker too.
by: Anonymous

I have one son that likes to touch bottoms, it has gotten to the point that he cannot shower in the change rooms after swimming lessons or use the toilets with his fellow class mates. He knows it is wrong, but completely lacks impulse control. He is only 5 still, but I am worried it is going to continue into his late teens, even adulthood. Come to think of it he likes to touch sqwishy bellys too. I never thought of it as needing to touch something squishy. Just a thought, if you are worried about your son's need for squishy sensations maybe you could find some kind of squishy squeeze toy for him to carry around.

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