Tactile defensive behavior --yet adores mess?

by Lucie
(California )

My son has demonstrated flight or fight response at kindergarten. If someone jostled him, he can take offense momentarily. If he feels happy, safe, and or included and interested, this doesn't really present.

There was a teacher he did not like. He could barely tolerate her touch. He would, at times, rum away, hide, curl up under the table crying and panicked. At worst, he'd cover his ears or pretend to me his pet chicken, making chicken sounds.

Yet since paint at play school, he would paint himself and not the paper! Still loves to paint himself, cover objects with clay.

We are trying to figure out where to go for an assessment....