Is tickling harmful for children? Is it okay to tickle small children?
Very often adults consider the most suitable game with small children tickling. We like it when a child laughs and seems to enjoy it. But not everyone thinks about the fact that tickling a child can inadvertently cause him harm.
Indeed, most people associate tickling with laughter. What happens when we are tickled? Yes, we laugh, but for some reason such laughter is accompanied by defensive movements of the arms and legs, a desire to dodge tickling hands. And if you can’t dodge, then for some reason tears come to your eyes and hysterics may even begin.
How does our body react to tickling?
In the course of research, it was found that tickling is accompanied by a narrowing blood vessels skin and dilation of blood vessels that deliver oxygen to the brain. At the same time, the frequency and strength of the heartbeat increases, the pupils dilate and all, even the smallest, hairs on the body stand on end. All these symptoms indicate excitation of the sympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic department responsible for the coordinated work of internal organs, adaptation of the body to rapidly changing conditions external environment. At moments of need to mobilize all internal resources, the sympathetic system is especially activated.
But why does tickling, a seemingly light touch, cause a violent reaction from the outside? sympathetic system? The fact is that during tickling, a wild ancestor awakens in us, who regarded any touch as potential danger. His reflexes kicked in instantly, preparing his body to fight back. The fur that covered the body of our ancestor stood on end, the blood vessels of the skin narrowed, and blood intensely flowed to the muscles and brain. Evolution has not destroyed this reaction, allowing us even today, in case of danger, to develop the greatest physical efforts - to run and fight.
During tickling, the touch of the fingers still causes violent stimulation of the sympathetic system, the tactile receptors embedded in the skin. They send signals to the thalamus. This is a brain collector into which all sensory pathways flow; information obtained through vision, hearing, smell and tactile sensations is collected and sorted here. Already from the thalamus, information flows to the main regulatory center internal organs– hypothalamus. It is the excitation of individual nuclei of the hypothalamus that causes the characteristic instincts of the wild ancestor.
Why is tickling dangerous?
Children and parents love to play and have fun together. Physical contact is very important, and tickling is often used to evoke laughter. However, the danger of tickling is that the child physically cannot say “stop.” And laughter is an automatic reaction that is not controlled by a person. Regardless of whether a person is funny or not, he will still start laughing. But surely each of us can remember a situation when we wanted to stop the tickler, but physically we could not stop laughing. It’s even worse when you manage to say “that’s enough,” but it’s taken as a joke and the tickler doesn’t stop. Sometimes adults think they know when to stop tickling. Often after such incidents, children develop an unconscious fear of extraneous touches.
Instead of tickling, it is better to choose more harmless ways of playing with physical contact. It is important that the child is in charge in the game and guides you: catch up, hide and seek, ride the baby on his neck or back. At the same time, you will not force the child to experience his own helplessness.
Each baby has a magical attraction for its parents: they want to touch their tiny fingers, heels and tender tummy again and again. The desire for physical contact and an excess of feelings is the basis for a very ancient “game” between an adult and a child - tickling.
Tickling - torture or pleasure
Let's imagine a classic picture - dad tickles the little one's heels, and he laughs boisterously, even squeals, kicks and tries to dodge his father's hands. You might think that tickling at this moment causes a lot of stress in the child. positive emotions, strengthens family relationships and in general, everyone knows that laughter prolongs life.
In reality, tickling is not as simple and not as positive as it seems at first glance. And if you overdo it a little, it will turn into something for the baby.
Danger of tickling for children
“Why then does the child laugh if he feels uncomfortable and is afraid of tickling?” In fact, a person can laugh even when he is scared. The reason for this laughter is high level nervous overstrain. This is a reflexive reaction that in no way reflects the baby’s true mood. Persistent, prolonged is accompanied by increased excitement: the face turns red, the pulse becomes rapid, and breathing becomes intermittent. As a result, such entertainment leads to complete exhaustion - the child’s body experiences severe physical and emotional overload.
Of course, neither mom nor dad are consciously capable of causing harm to your own child. But, having played too much, they may well not see alarms, continuing the torturous attack. The main problem: the child is physically unable to say “stop.” David Hartley, the founder of associative psychology, argues that laughter during tickling is nothing more than “incipient crying,” but only interrupted. That is why, if you do not stop tickling a child in time, he will certainly cry. Experts warn that children who are frequently subjected to violent tickling grow into adults with an unconscious fear of being touched.
Meanwhile, tickling can become a real laughter therapy for the whole family: it trains tactile sensations and reflexes, relieves the effects of stress and saturates all tissues of the body with oxygen.
To make tickling a truly useful entertainment, you just need to follow simple rules.
Learn to stop. Stop tickling as soon as the child says “that’s enough”, “no need”, etc.
Give up the idea that children's pleas for mercy are a joke.
Don't overdo it. A light superficial tickle is quite enough for positive emotions. Remember, the duration and intensity of your child’s laughter depends on you.
If a child suffers from neurological diseases (epilepsy, autism), then it is better not to practice tickling at all. Physical reactions caused by tickling can aggravate illnesses.
Attention! If self-tickling makes your child laugh, then you should definitely tell the supervising pediatrician about it.
Playing games together and enjoying what is happening play a huge role in strengthening family relationships. However, for sensitive and excitable children, it is better to choose calmer entertainment than tickling. For example, kids simply love hide-and-seek and exciting rides on daddy’s neck. Such games give the child the opportunity to act unconstrained and freely, because the parent does not force him into the narrow framework of his own physical helplessness. Very small babies should not be tickled at all. Instead, you can and should use other, more gentle, methods physical contact- kisses, stroking.
And if you still cannot deny yourself the pleasure of tickling your child, then learn to observe moderation and be sensitive parents.
Incredible facts
One of the most pleasant sounds to our ears is laughter, and the strongest laughter is often caused by tickling. Parents tickle their children to make them giggle loudly, and the tickling of lovers is more reminiscent of flirting or innocent caresses.
In what places are people most sensitive to tickling and is it possible to tickle a person to death?
Here are the answers to these and other tickling questions.
1. Tickling helps us bond.
Not only can tickling make us laugh, but it can also help us build relationships. Back in the 19th century, Charles Darwin noted that tickling was a mechanism for social bonding. She serves one of the first forms of communication between mother and child. It also helps to establish connections between friends and is considered by psychologists to be part of the fifth, the highest degree social game, involving intimacy and cognitive interaction.
2. We can't tickle ourselves.
If another person's touch can cause tickling, why can't we tickle ourselves? Scientists suggest that our cerebellum can distinguish unexpected touch from expected sensations, and this suppresses the tickle response. When we try to tickle ourselves the brain anticipates this and prepares for the tickling. Maybe, different reaction for the expected and unexpected appeared in humans in order to better protect themselves from enemies.
3. The most ticklish spots are the most vulnerable spots during an attack.
The soles of the feet and armpits are considered two of the most sensitive places on our body. In addition, most ticklish areas such as the neck, chest, and genital area are also the most vulnerable in battles.
IN armpit the axillary vein and artery pass through, and it provides unimpeded access to the heart, which is not protected chest . The neck also contains two important arteries in the human body that supply blood to the brain. The trachea, which carries air to the lungs, is also located in the neck.
4. Tickling is our body's warning system.
Scientists have found that the feelings we experience when we are tickled make us panic and are natural defense mechanism in front of crawling insects such as spiders and beetles.
5. Tickling can turn into torture.
There have been cases in history where tickling was used as corporal punishment. There is evidence that the Nazis used tickling as torture. The ancient Romans also used a special type of torture. They tied up the offenders, dipped their feet in salt water and forced the goats to lick it off. Over time, the tickling became very painful.
As for death from tickling, there is evidence that a person can die from laughter, which means it is theoretically possible to some extent.
6.The older we get, the less sensitive we are to tickling.
Is tickling child's play? There is some truth to this, as people under 40 are 10 times more likely to be tickled than those over 40. And it's not because adults don't like tickling, it's just that it happens with age. gradual decline tactile sensitivity.
7. Tickling can be stopped
How to do it? Place your hand on the hand of the person tickling you. Doctors often resort to this trick. When a doctor wants to examine a patient's abdomen, he may ask him to place his hand on his. So you're kind of doing the same thing as the doctor, which makes our brain think you're tickling yourself. The only problem is to grab the tickler's hand.
8. Tickling helps you lose weight
If tickling makes you laugh out loud, it burns calories. Scientists have found that 10-15 minutes of laughter burns an additional 10-40 calories per day, which can mean a weight loss of several kilograms per year. Of course this is not the same as going to Gym, but if you decide to lose weight, every calorie counts.
9. Tickling can be sexually pleasurable.
For some people, tickling almost any part of the body gives them pleasure, and there are those who get aroused by watching others being tickled. IN in a broad sense, tickling can serve as a form of foreplay. However, when knismolagnia– arousal from tickling, it becomes a form of sexual fetishism.
10. Why do we laugh when we are tickled?
This is the main unanswered question regarding tickling. Laughter is usually associated with humor and pleasure. But when tickled, it occurs uncontrollably, not being associated with a joke or funny incident. Sometimes the tickling process can even be unpleasant and painful. So why do we laugh?
Tickling in 99 out of 100 cases brings more pleasure and fun to the one who tickles, and not to his victim. Moreover, tickling forces our body to react to it reflexively, therefore, the brain is always involved in this game. By the way, you probably didn’t know that the benefits of tickling far outweigh the discomfort.
1. Tickling removes fear, and this has been proven in rats.
Neurological research has shown that rats love to be tickled and respond to such tickling with their rat laughter. Don't try to hear them giggle - they laugh at ultrasonic frequencies that are inaudible to humans. Tickling can trick the brain into letting go of its innately programmed fears and crippling anxiety. To prove this theory, researchers tickled a bunch of rats for two weeks and found that new neurological connections were formed in their hippocampus, which formed new happy memories.
2. The Evolutionary Benefits of Tickling
Have you ever noticed that it is impossible to tickle yourself? And if tickling is so useful, then what is behind it? Tickle fear and reflexive withdrawal is an important evolutionary trait that serves a primary purpose, namely self-preservation. The brain reacts to something touching you - it is quite possible that something might land on you, bite you or drink blood. By being afraid of tickling and brushing it aside, we instinctively protect our lives. Therefore, when you proudly declare “I’m not afraid of tickles!”, think about whether this is really a plus?
3. Laughter when tickled is also reflexive.
You laugh or smile when you are tickled, although you are unlikely to experience pleasant emotions from these sensations. It's very simple: your smart brain does everything it can to attract attention to irritating factor, which may well turn out to be dangerous. When the doctor taps your knee with a rubber mallet, you reflexively straighten your leg, just as you begin to giggle nervously from external tickling. Please note that babies do not have language skills, but they have the same reaction to tickling - they laugh. This is one of hundreds of involuntary reflexes produced by the brain, and is aimed at making us decide how to protect ourselves.
4. Tickling: The Least Funniest Joke
Charles Darwin called it that, considering tickling a “physical joke.” Yes, we laugh, but internally we beg to stop the tickling. In 2005, a study was conducted on 84 adult volunteers, or rather their reactions to various shapes humor, including “physical jokes”. First, the participants were shown performances by comedians, and then people laughed sincerely and openly. Then they were tickled. And then they plunged their hands into ice water to induce pain for contrast. After jokes, tickling and the ice bucket challenge, each participant described their feelings. Although they laughed and smiled, however, the laughter and smiles during tickling were strikingly different. By the same principle, people cry while cutting onions, although they do not experience either sadness or negative emotions. In other words, laughter during tickling is a fake and has nothing in common with sincere laughter.
5. Tickle your children for their development
Charles Darwin paid much attention to the importance of tickling. He believed that it is necessary for a person to establish a relationship, especially between a parent and a child. According to Darwin, tickling is a necessary tactile contact and at the same time learning reactions. So tickle children for psychological and pedagogical purposes while they allow you to. Although it is definitely not recommended to do this with teenagers.
6. Tickling improves heart health... if you choose the right place
Do not take this information as advice from a quack doctor. Neuroscientists have actually found that ear tickling potentially helps the heart and may even prevent heart failure. The researchers used electromagnetic devices on volunteers, commonly used to treat chronic ear pain. The electrode is carefully placed on the tragus - that tiny protrusion on the middle part of the ear where especially advanced fashionistas get piercings. When the tragus was tickled with an electrode, a signal was sent to the heart, eliminating abnormal heart contractions. This shock-tickle therapy may seem like science fiction, but the fact remains.
M/B
Igor sat in the camp hospital, under the massage room, and thought. His thoughts consisted entirely of unprintable expressions. He was diagnosed with scoliosis, and now he has to go for a massage instead of playing football with his friends.
The door to the office opened.
- Next! Don’t bother with him,” said the young masseur. He was still a student trainee.
Igor entered the office. In the openly soviet office there was a surprisingly modern bed.
- How old are you? - asked the doctor, writing something down.
- Fourteen.
- Fine. Don't be afraid. Almost everyone now has scoliosis. Take off your T-shirt and lie on your stomach.
The guy obediently followed the massage therapist's order.
The student approached him and began the massage. A few minutes later he commanded:
- Straighten your arms.
Igor straightened up. The doctor massaged for another minute and suddenly, as if by chance, ran his hand over the boy’s bare armpit. Igor giggled and shuddered.
- Don't move. So good. Now roll over onto your back. Straighten your arms... like this.
The guy was lying on his back with his arms straight. The doctor bent down and pressed something. In a second, Igor’s arms and legs were chained.
- Hey! What are you doing! Let me go!
- Don't be afraid. I won't do anything to you. I'll just see how long you can stand the tickling.
- What are you planning? Let me go!
- All your classmates have already gone through this. Someone switched off after an hour. Some held out for a whole day.
- They didn't tell me anything.
- Right. I injected them with this, and when they woke up, they forgot everything. Let's begin.
The masseur began to tickle the armpits of the tied up guy. He immediately started laughing like crazy.
“If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m going to tickle you until you pass out.” But will you hold on?
Igor could not answer him. The torso was his weak point. While still playing Cossack robbers, he immediately gave up when it came to tickling. But now, lying tied hand and foot, he understood that this was nothing compared to the torment brought to him by this maniac. Although he could not understand, his mind was consumed only by non-stop laughter and tickling.
And the masseur continued to tickle. He moved from the armpits to the sides. Counting the ribs, which made poor Igor arch his whole body. Half an hour passed, and the unfortunate guy was still holding on. He was covered in sweat, jumping on the table as if on a hot frying pan, but the masseur did not even think of letting him go.
An hour has passed. The student stopped for a second.
- I beg you, let me go! Please, I can't stand it anymore! Nooooohahahahahahahahahahahaha! - he began, but did not have time to finish. The doctor began to tickle his stomach.
- I hope you like it, all your boys really enjoyed it.
Another half hour passed.
- Well done. You're holding up well. For this I have a surprise for you.
The doctor pulled out a small, stiff feather and began to tickle the guy’s nipples. Igor howled from the tickling.
Two hours passed. The doctor was still tickling Igor’s armpits. Suddenly the boy gasped for air and lost consciousness.
- So good. That means two hours.
The student injected some kind of serum into Igor’s vein and prepared ammonia.
- I’ll say that I lost consciousness from the heat.
