“What is all this?”
My father sat down.
“Margaret, have you noticed that Lily has been avoiding your hugs lately, too?”
I froze.
“Yes.”
“And have you noticed that sometimes she can’t tolerate clothing tags, socks, or having her hair brushed?”
Suddenly, memories of the past few months flooded my mind.
Lily often complained that the seams of her shirts were “pricking” her.
She didn’t want me to brush her hair.
Sometimes, when I hugged her, she would burst into tears.
I had always assumed she was simply being difficult.
“What does any of that have to do with what you did?” I demanded.
My father took a deep breath.
“Because Lily may have a condition that makes her unusually sensitive to touch.”
I stared at him in confusion.
“What?”
“Some children experience ordinary physical contact as extremely uncomfortable or even painful. Lily once told me that when someone touches her unexpectedly, it feels as though her skin is burning.”
