Sharon Heller

Do clothing labels bother you so much that you have to remove them? Do you find many different foods repulsive? Do loud, sudden, or piercing sounds startle you? Do you need to wear sunglasses even on a cloudy day? Do you feel panicky going down an escalator or driving through a tunnel? If the answer to many of these questions is yes, you may suffer from sensory defensiveness, a common but often misdiagnosed condition that results from adverse reactions...

Using a lively array of anthropological and sociological sources, The Vital Touch: How Intimate Contact with Your Baby Leads to Happier, Healthier Development by Sharon Heller, PhD, presents a provocative examination of the reasons why, now more than ever, we need to make consistent physical connections with our infants and children.