Wilaburger brush therapy Get the OT to show you how and have her observe you do it. Brushing can work well for kids with sensory defensiveness. You may need to push harder. It's not supposed to actually tickle. Try it on yourself, or have your husband try it on you.  And keep leaning on the OT. Yes, I too was going to say you may be brushing too lightly.  My OT did it to me, on my arms so I would know what it should feel like.  I thought it would hurt or "rub raw" like someone else said...but it doesn't feel that way at all when done properly. I hope you get good results....we do...... My DD and SIL does brush/compression therapy on Devin. And yes it tickles him, mostly on his legs and feet. Devin has shown such improvement with this therapy, and he really seems to enjoy it. He sits  through his therapys much better. Even his words seem to be improving. There are times when it is to much for him to handle, so they will stop early, then try again later Good luck and keep trying Mona, Grandma to Devin  3yrs  ASD / SID Hi At first my ds would squirm away and now he just lays in his beanbag chair and loves it.  If it is tickling him you might be brushing too lightly.  It is suppose to give a deep pressure feeling.  Ask you OT to demo for you and practice with them there. Good luck. It has really worked for us.  We can see a big difference in ds the days that we do it every two hours and the days that we don't. If he thinks it is ticklish...you may not be being rough enough. My daughter got brushing a joint compression every 2 hours like religion. I did not rub her raw, but i had to be pretty firm with it This evening I saw a biiig difference! I think I was going to lightly because he told me how to do it lol Seriously! He told me No! and he started kind of hitting himself with it then he started brushing himself really hard and fast. I did it harder and he didnt say it tickled, tho he was very squirmy and I didnt do it that long he seemed to relax and enjoy it more than thinking im playing a game with him. Im so excited! Tomorrow I will see doing it every couple hours and alot harder and I will ask his OT the techniques, Thanks everyone   143hayden39346.9734259259So being ticklish is normal then? He actually does likes it and brushes his self with it playing. I guess that would be a good thing. Ive only heard of children screaming because they hated it if they were tactile defensive then later they tolerated it, so I thought maybe the brushing wouldnt work for him. He dosnt hold still because it tickles him so much (only when i do it tho) not because he dosnt like it. Does that mean it could still work and maybe get him to keep his clothes/blankets on (which is my goal!)? Just seems to not be doing anything for him but something that amuses him and tickles him. SOrry if im going over the same ole thing! Yes daniel hated this at first now he asks for this at times.It is only 2hrs in lasting. He was tactile defensive before eci. We started this when C was 2, continued until he was 5ish.  He found it ticklish at first and then loved it.  Once he became verbal he asked for it.  Now he just asks us to rub his back so we dispensed with the brush.  I used to brush him in church to keep him calm, it was also very useful on airplanes. I got a wilaburger (spelled right?) brush and my son barely holds still because he said it tickles him. Is this a normal reaction from a child who is tactile defensive? I know he definately is because of many issues altho there are a few things that arnt tactile at all like he likes pressure applied all over his body by digging into his muscel really hard for at least an hour before bedtime or thruout day and when overstimulated/tired hel press his face against something. I was expecting him to scream and dislike the brushing but he seems to think its tickling him and laughing. Im alittle confused! Does this mean brushing wont work for him? He starts OT on monday and im going to ask them but till then Im really curious why, does anyone have any ideas?
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