Three Tests for Sex Differences in Tactile Sensitivity in the Newborn

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Abstract
Removal of a covering blanket, stimulation with an air jet, and application of an aesthesiometer were tried out as methods of measuring tactile sensitivity in the newborn; sex differences were investigated. Only the air jet and aesthesiometer produced stable results on retesting. Females were more reactive to removal of a covering blanket and showed lower thresholds to air jet stimulation of the abdomen. No sex differerence was shown in response to the aesthesiometer, but an interaction of sex and type of feeding occurred. The implication is that type of feeding is a sampling parameter which should not be ignored even at this early age. Infants with low sensitivity as indicated by response to the aesthesiometer were lean in body build, and showed a low level of activation and responsiveness in other measures.