Understanding Stimming and Autism: The Good and Bad Side of Anxious Behaviours
What is stimming? Stimming – or stims – are a wide variety of self-stimulating behaviours that people with autism may exhibit when experiencing sensory overload or high levels of anxiety. Stimming can be a repetitive motion such as hand flapping, rocking, repetition of words or phrases (echolalia), vocalizations, or even the repetitive movement of objects. Stimming still puzzles many neurotypicals, who often want to eradicate or control stims. While stimming may seem alarming or strange to the rest of us, these behaviours do serve a purpose for those on the spectrum.
What Does Stimming Do That Is Positive?
Stimming can help a person with ASD deal with sensory overload, and anxiety in a postive way. A very good blog post from The Mighty explains in detail what those with ASD experience when stimming and why they need to do it. Some examples of stimming are rocking, hand flapping, head banging, stroking a piece of cloth; all can serve as a calming strategy. As one woman with ASD explains:
“Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed, upset or angry, I need to let it out. I feel antsy when I’m over stimulated, so I need to move around and let out some noise. It’s the only way I know how to cope. It calms me down. A common one for me is humming loudly to myself (sometimes with my ears plugged or covered) and most commonly, I’ll bounce my leg. It’s involuntary, so I don’t always realize I’m bouncing my leg. It bothers some people, but I can’t help it.”
Temple Grandin described stimming this way:
“When I did stims such as dribbling sand through my fingers, it calmed me down. When I stimmed, sounds that hurt my ears stopped. Most kids with autism do these repetitive behaviours because it feels good in some way. It may counteract an overwhelming sensory environment, or alleviate the high levels of internal anxiety these kids typically feel every day.”
Chris Bonnello from Autistic Not Weird points out that many non-autistic people exhibit stimming behaviours as well – they just aren’t as visible.
“What’s it like to stim? You tell me. Most non-autistic people impulsively tap their feet, drum their fingers or let out exasperated sighs. They’re all natural forms of self-expression. The theory behind autistic stimming is the same — we’re just the ones who get called out for expressing ourselves more visibly than you!”
What is harmful stimming?
Stims that are uncontrollable, occur excessively in inappropriate settings, or prevent a child from socially acceptable interaction, may need to be addressed. Far more serious are unhealthy stims like self-injurious behaviors. These can include hair pulling, biting, hitting oneself, hitting the head against something in a harmful way, or picking/nail biting to the point of injury. Why would a person engage in self injuring stimulation? Possibly because their overload or source of anxiety is so overwhelming, it requires a much more serious stimulation to block it out. As Kristen Lindsmith points out in her blog post on stimming – pain is the one sensation that will overwhelm all others.
“If you walk into a house with too many cats you may cringe at the strong scent of kitty litter, but if you stay and hang around you’ll stop noticing the smell. This isn’t about attention, this is a physiological reaction. You really do stop smelling the cat pee. But if you’re in pain, you won’t acclimate to it. As long as the reason for the pain is still present, your nervous system will keep on sending you those signals. Not only that, but it will prioritize that sensation above others.”
What Can You Do To Help Someone Stop Harmful Stimming?
CBC recently featured a story about a young man who resides in a lock down unit in a hospital in Nova Scotia. Matthew Meisner is severely affected by autism and engages in the dangerous side of self-stims. When you read about how Matthew spends his day and how he is supported, it breaks your heart. His quality of life does not need to be what it is now. The Low Arousal Approach from the UK deals with challenging behaviour and how to manage it. This approach advocates for no restraints or punitive consequences for behaviour. Listed below are the two main techniques to gently help a person who engages in harmful stimming.
- Remove the cause. When this type of overload stimming is occurring, the problem stimulus that is causing the overload must be removed. It’s best if you can address what is causing the overload behaviour to ramp up, and pre-emptively remove the stressor BEFORE overload happens and harmful stimming starts. I have written about how to understand what autistic overload is in a past blog post that has some helpful tips.
- Redirect to something less harmful. What do you do if you can’t remove the overload stressor, or can’t figure out what it is? Redirect the behaviour while still addressing the need for stimulation. See if you can redirect the person to a comfort stim that is less harmful. If they are really in overload mode, this might mean choosing other painful but safe coping stims like holding an ice cube, listening to loud music, or drawing on a piece of paper with a pencil until it is entirely black. Working with the person who is having the behaviours to find something that works and isn’t going to harm them is the key.
Kirsten Lindsmith’s blog is one of the best posts I’ve read on the self-injurious side of stimming. Kirsten is on the spectrum herself and gives strategies for both the autistic individual and the caregiver. I rarely see advice for both people involved in an article. With the advent of greater understanding, education, and the development of methods like the Low Arousal Approach, I hope that people like Matthew Meisner will be helped through a gentle approach that will empower both the person with the harmful behaviours and the person who is trying to help them stop.
Further Reading
Understanding and Treating Self-Injurious Behavior in Autism
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I have high functioning autism had to much go off past year now I’m stuck having melt downs most days with no support I’m 28 and really struggling with my autism
Jake, if you let me know where you are located, I will see if I can pinpoint some supports for you. I have also listed some resources for adult in this blog post – https://autismawarenesscentre.com/am-i-autistic-a-guide-to-diagnosis-for-adults/ You may have what it called autistic burnout – https://autismawarenesscentre.com/what-is-autistic-burnout/
Hi, I have a 4yr old son who we know is on the spectrum, we are just waiting for the diagnosis to be made official. One of the things he does constantly is lie on his front, place his hands over his crotch area. Whilst doing this his body and legs go rigid and toes point and off the ground. He makes sounds and noises (he is non-verbal btw), it looks to me like a sensory issue but is it a form of stimming? I was hoping it would be a phase but it has become a regular behavior and something he just has to do
Nazia, it could also be for calming or alerting. Try to make a notes when you are observing this. Does it happen before a transition? Is it done only while watching TV? At bedtime? Here is a little more information on sensory or behavior – https://kimpediatrics.com/sensory-or-behavior/ and https://mslbd.org/file_download/4fddd0f7-2b75-48d2-83cd-ceee32ab01c5
I have a kindergarten student who is not identified with any special needs, but even after 4 months of school, cries every day for hours. We have tried numerous interventions, but nothing seems to work consistently. We cannot identify a consistent trigger for what starts or stops the crying other than he wants to go home. He seems ultra sensitive to his environment. When he is anxious he flaps, jumps up and down and stares into space. When he is crying he is usually unable to answer questions or have a conversation. I am wondering if the crying could be a form of stimming?
Crying is not a form of stimming – you are seeing a child in distress. This distress may not be caused by any one thing in particular but a build up of many things throughout the day which then has the child feeling overwhelmed and overloaded. You said he seems sensitive to his environment – this tells me he may need a sensory diet to help him regulate. https://autismawarenesscentre.com/what-is-a-sensory-diet/ The flapping and jumping up and down is an attempt to regulate his overwhelmed senses and block out other stimuli.
Do not try to talk to him or have a conversation when he is crying or upset because this can drive arousal levels higher. https://autismawarenesscentre.com/what-is-the-low-arousal-approach-and-how-can-it-benefit-my-family/
I would start with having an occupational therapist come in for an observation and consultation for this child to help develop a plan to get him regulated.
Hi there, my 3 year old daughter has been holding her breath repetitively, almost like she is getting a kind of rush from
It… she also flaps her hand. The only thing that changed during this transition was that she has a fidget Toy she was stimming with which we were told to take off her and during this period she started to hold her breath. We have since given her the toy back… she has also had blood work and an ecg and eeg which have both returned normal
When a stimm is taken away, it is usually replaced by another one (holding her breath). Please give her the fidget toy back. This must be regulating her in some way and she may be trying to replace this by holding her breath.
Hi, I’m neurotypical and i’m 15. i was talking to my friend earlier who has adhd so they experience stimming ,and i was telling them how when i’m laying down i tend to need to move my feet back and forward or, tap my feet or, move my legs up and down or, shake my body or, thrust upwards (not in a sexual way) and my friend said it sounds like stimming and i had no idea that it could be that. I’m usually watching something on my laptop when doing this, if not trying to go to sleep. I’m wondering why i do this. I also (when not laying down, just in general i pace around or flap my hands when i am distraught, anxious or bored. Also something i do, is suck my thumb a lot, majority of the time when i am alone and relaxing but sometimes if i can sneakily do it in the car when the other people in the car aren’t noticing, i will. Somtimes i really wanna suck my thumb at school but i don’t because i know i will be judged. im constantly told by my family to stop doing it because im “not a child anymore” . part of the reason i like to suck my thumb is because i like the feeling of moving my nails on my face when i suck my thumb (i have short nails so the rough feeling is really nice . otherwise i peel /rip my nail to the end of one side and leave it like that because i like the feeling of that scraping against my face when i suck my thumb. another thing i do is mimic people a lot, sometimes .Like sometimes i’ll be walking around school or just in public in general and ill pick up on what random people are saying or random noises they’re making and i’ll mimic them. im assuming all of these things are stims, i’m not really sure as i was only made aware that they be stims about an hour ago. im not sure what causes these actions and what i can do to reduce them.
Halle, to me these sound more like calming strategies that you use. You find certain movements or sucking your thumb soothing. Some people twirl their hair, for example. Here is a really good article to read about what stimming is and what the difference is for neurotypical people and autistic people. https://www.healthline.com/health/autism/stimming#behaviors Most people do some form of stimming and this is not a bad thing. Stimming also helps some people focus.
Hello! I’m 17 and since I was a baby I have hit my head on things. I have never hurt myself this way and do it most often in cars (though it happens whenever i am in a chair with a headrest). I have other stims too! Like rocking back and forth (especially when I can’t hit my head on things) and clapping my hands when in private. My family never treated the things I did as out of the ordinary and I was always free to stim how I wanted. However, whenever I would ask my mom (whos a pediatrician) about the oddity of my habits she would insist (among other things) that I am not autistic. And since I did well in school my family’s never really looked into my stims. But recently my twin brother was diagnosed with ADHD and the more I think about it, the more I think I might be on the autism spectrum. What should I do?
Dear Sophia,
Have a look at this article that I wrote about receiving a diagnosis as an adult – https://autismawarenesscentre.com/am-i-autistic-a-guide-to-diagnosis-for-adults/ If you scroll down to the bottom of it, there are resources there specific to women. It’s really a personal choice if you wish to seek a diagnosis for yourself. For some people, having this identity helps them find support and information that they find helpful in their lives.
My Son is currently 16 yrs. He is a great kid, National Honor Society member and does fairly well socially. He has Aspergers. His stimming gets really bad in stretches. He makes noises with his mouth (kind of like he is saying “hummmm” loadly) or throat (a loud swallow). Sometimes this happens every 5 secs. for mins. We’ve had him seeing an ABA for the past 2 years. We never make him feel bad for stimming, We will talk to him about it at times to see if he is even aware of it and he even says he hates it because sometimes hurts his throat etc. We’vebought things like squeeze balls for him to use to help him try to transfer his stimming to a non=audible type but it doesn’t always work. Is there anything else we can do to help him or perhaps another type of professional to help him with it?
I am wondering if what you described is actually a tic. Here is some information on tics – https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tics/treatment/ or https://www.additudemag.com/treating-tic-disorders-therapy-medication-lifestyle-changes/ A pediatrician may be able to help with this. Tics are present with Tourette Syndrome. You also have to find the trigger for this – an anxiety spike, for example.
My brother has mild autism, he had developed a habit of touching people and their things with his salivating Fingers, and biting his hands when ever he feels excited. He does this when he feels over stimulused. Can your recommend me how can I modify his behaviour?
First of all, you have to determine why this behavior happens. Are you sure this is happening because he is overstimulated? You will have to offer another type of soothing activity. You can try something called Chewelery – https://www.fdmt.ca/en/chewelry He may require oral stimulation to feel alert or chewing on his fingers may be calming. More information on chewing- https://funandfunction.com/blog/chew-sensory-chewies-calm-de-stress and https://asensorylife.com/oral-sensory-needs-and-preferences.html
hi! I currently work with a high school boy who is heavily breathing in stressful environments (independent school work etc.) He says he cannot hear the difference between his typical breathing and this heavier breathing even though it is audible. Any advice about how to assist? It can be distracting in a classroom setting. I don’t want to discourage it if it helps to regulate him. Thank you!
Sam, your student probably isn’t aware that his is audible when he is breathing louder. It is definitely helping with this regulation so you don’t want to discourage it. Does he wear a mask in class? A face mask might provide him with some interoceptive feedback on the changes in his breathing. If he becomes aware of it, he may be able to do it more quietly yet be just as effective. You may also want to investigate some of the yoga breathing techniques. It can help with getting a deeper breath which can be more calming.
I stimm because it’s calm down
Thank you for sharing this information, Jordan, as it is helpful for people to hear.
I have anxiety, and I used to stim alot in grade 6. Now I am in grade 8. My anxiety at school is worse, very noticeably, but I am afraid that my parents will see stimming as attention-seeking since it stopped a few years ago. Some of my stims are: a tic-like-behavior (It began when I was in the hospital two years ago, and was believed to be intentional because it would stop at certain times-games of Uno, mealtimes) where I jerk my shoulder back/twitch
Rocking back and forth
Vocalizing (not singing, but 3-note-melodies and such
Flapping my hands
Wiggling my fingers
Hitting my hands together very aggressively
Shaking my head back and forth when my hair is down
Do you think this is me sub-consciously attention-seeking, or could my stims have stopped when I was more relaxed?
I do not think this attention seeking behavior. Stims often increase as anxiety increases. It can also be a way of regulating oneself. When you were doing an activity such as eating, your body was in motion which can help with stimming. Have you tried working on some calming strategies? https://autismawarenesscentre.com/calming-strategies-to-support-a-person-with-autism/
Hello! I am sixteen and have multiple anxiety disorders (social anxiety being one that affects me most) as well as panic disorder. I have only recently started to stim, I probably began doing it in the beginning of this year. The only stims that I have are painful ones, such as slamming my fists into my head when I have a panic attack or bang the bottom of my hands together until they bruise. My brain becomes overstimulated due to the number of thoughts running through my head when I’m having a panic attack, but it also becomes overstimulated when I become really happy. I clap my hands together and shake my arms rapidly, not in a painful way, but it is the only way my emotions can be expressed. Is it normal to have stims when you have a severe anxiety disorder? Or is it something more that I should look into?
Your stims are more than likely a result of your anxiety disorders. You may want to work on developing interoceptive awareness to express your emotions, particularly your strong ones as you could injure yourself by slamming your fists into your head and you are bruising your hands. Here is little video explaining what interoception is – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0zbCiakjaA I think when you become more aware of your anxious state, you could then use some calming strategies – https://autismawarenesscentre.com/calming-strategies-to-support-a-person-with-autism/
Hi! Thank you so much for posting this information as I am 14 years old and tend to continuously rub fabric between my fingers. Though only specific fabrics, being cotton. I know that this is a harmless stimmer, though I tend to do it both conscious and unconsciously. I also sometimes pick away scabs and skin specifically on my face, I tend to do this most frequently at night. I was just wondering as I have never thought to have any disorder or anxiety as I’m not overly sure what causes me to do these. Thank you
Jasmine, stims can be a way of soothing oneself or helping with internal regulation. For example, some people twirl their hair when they are reading or studying. Are you aware of the picking or do you find you realize it the next morning? You may find this article a good read because neurotypical people stim too – https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/foot-tapping-hand-flapping-why-do-people-stim-0104194
I’m 14 years old and don’t have any conditions that would cause stimming or similar behavior. However, I often bounce my leg, blink rapidly, flap my hands and sometimes scratch. I wouldn’t be concerned by this if it weren’t for the fact that I can’t really stop. When someone asks me not to or points it out I try to stop, but the moment I’m not consciously attempting to control the movement I start doing it again. Should I be worried? It’s quite hard for other people not to notice and I never stop for more than a few minutes at a time.
There are several reasons why people stim and you do not have to autism to stim. Here is some good information on the topic from Wikipedia:
Here is the information on the difference from Wikipedia:
Self-stimulatory behaviour, also known as stimming[1] and self-stimulation,[2] is the repetition of physical movements, sounds, words, or moving objects. Such behaviours (also scientifically known as ‘stereotypies’) are found in people with developmental disabilities, and are especially frequent in people on the autism spectrum.[2] People diagnosed with sensory processing disorder are also known to potentially exhibit stimming behaviours.[3] Stimming has been interpreted as a protective response to over-stimulation, in which people calm themselves by blocking less predictable environmental stimuli, to which they have a heightened sensitivity.[2][3] A further explanation views stimming as a way to relieve anxiety and other negative or heightened emotions.[4]
Stimming behaviours can consist of tactile, visual, auditory, olfactory, and even vestibular stimming (which pertains to balance). Some common examples of stimming (sometimes called stims[5]) include hand flapping, clapping, rocking, excessive or hard blinking, pacing, head banging, repeating noises or words, snapping fingers, and spinning objects.[6][7]
Stimming is almost always present in people on the autism spectrum but does not necessarily indicate its presence.[8] The biggest difference between autistic and non-autistic stimming is the type of stim and the quantity of stimming.[8] In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, stimming behaviour is described as “stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms” and listed as one of the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.[9] Different perspectives suggest that stimming involves both sensory and motor functions. Insufficiencies in these sensorimotor functions can result in stimming behaviours produced by the person as a controllable response.[10]
A hard blue rubber stim ring with its lanyard tied in a lark’s head.
Adult autistic people report stimming as an important tool for self-regulation.[10] Many people in the autistic community oppose attempts to reduce or eliminate stimming, and contend that attempts to stop people from stimming could be potentially harmful.[11][12] However, stimming can sometimes be self-injurious, such as when it involves head-banging, hand-biting, excessive self-rubbing, and scratching.[13] While it is difficult to stop stimming entirely, there are many ways to reduce time spent stimming and create safer stimming habits for an individual. Managing the sensory and emotional environment while increasing the amount of daily exercise can increase personal comfort levels of the person which may reduce the amount of time spent stimming. Things such as puzzles, fidget spinners, stress and fidget toys can also be used to help instill safe stimming habits.
Hello, is it possible to have stimming but not autism?
Yes, it is possible. Here is the information on the difference from Wikipedia:
Self-stimulatory behaviour, also known as stimming[1] and self-stimulation,[2] is the repetition of physical movements, sounds, words, or moving objects. Such behaviours (also scientifically known as ‘stereotypies’) are found in people with developmental disabilities, and are especially frequent in people on the autism spectrum.[2] People diagnosed with sensory processing disorder are also known to potentially exhibit stimming behaviours.[3] Stimming has been interpreted as a protective response to over-stimulation, in which people calm themselves by blocking less predictable environmental stimuli, to which they have a heightened sensitivity.[2][3] A further explanation views stimming as a way to relieve anxiety and other negative or heightened emotions.[4]
Stimming behaviours can consist of tactile, visual, auditory, olfactory, and even vestibular stimming (which pertains to balance). Some common examples of stimming (sometimes called stims[5]) include hand flapping, clapping, rocking, excessive or hard blinking, pacing, head banging, repeating noises or words, snapping fingers, and spinning objects.[6][7]
Stimming is almost always present in people on the autism spectrum but does not necessarily indicate its presence.[8] The biggest difference between autistic and non-autistic stimming is the type of stim and the quantity of stimming.[8] In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, stimming behaviour is described as “stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms” and listed as one of the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.[9] Different perspectives suggest that stimming involves both sensory and motor functions. Insufficiencies in these sensorimotor functions can result in stimming behaviours produced by the person as a controllable response.[10]
A hard blue rubber stim ring with its lanyard tied in a lark’s head.
Adult autistic people report stimming as an important tool for self-regulation.[10] Many people in the autistic community oppose attempts to reduce or eliminate stimming, and contend that attempts to stop people from stimming could be potentially harmful.[11][12] However, stimming can sometimes be self-injurious, such as when it involves head-banging, hand-biting, excessive self-rubbing, and scratching.[13] While it is difficult to stop stimming entirely, there are many ways to reduce time spent stimming and create safer stimming habits for an individual. Managing the sensory and emotional environment while increasing the amount of daily exercise can increase personal comfort levels of the person which may reduce the amount of time spent stimming. Things such as puzzles, fidget spinners, stress and fidget toys can also be used to help instill safe stimming habits.
Would you recommend medical intervention when the stimming occurs for the majority of the day non-stop? I don’t know if my son is in distress and I just want to help him relax. Some of the stimming is harmless squealing or hand flapping but he also head bangs and it breaks my heart.
The head banging falls under self-injurious behaviors and that you do want to intervene with. You also want to understand the function of the stimming. Is your son highly anxious? Bored? Stressed? There is a free webinar that you can view from May 5th that was on the causes and management of self-injurious behaviors. https://www.studio3.org/free-webinars These are my colleagues at Studio 3 UK and we are a division of them (Studio 3 Canada). I would recommend watching it.
My son stims all the time but doesn’t really like fidget toys. We have found things like string or rubber bands help him greatly. Good read. Thanks
Hi I am 36 years old and have never been tested for autism. I have always had stims, that I continue to do to this day. I jump up and down in a certain way, shake my hands super fast, and make loud ooooh noises when I’m exited. I know it’s not socially acceptable so I am able to control it, except the hand one. When I was growing up I was definitely picked on and times were tough. Does this in fact mean I am autistic? Also, I do have very high anxiety, to where I get heart palpitations. Thank you
Females on the spectrum can exhibit different symptoms than males. Have a look at this article about women on the spectrum – https://www.healthline.com/health/autism-in-women . You may want to have a chat with your doctor and talk about being assessed for autism. Many women are missed being diagnosed when they are younger. There are a number of sites that are dedicated just to women on the spectrum like this one – http://swanscotland.org/ . Have a look at these links and see if they resonate with you. Autism is a complex diagnosis and just having stimms and anxiety doesn’t mean you have autism. The stimms may be a way you cope with strong emotions. There are many factors that come into play to receive an autism diagnosis. I would encourage you to speak with your family doctor as this is a good place to start.
Hi, my son is 2years 8months old. Diagnosed with ASD. He stims by humming, flapping and staring into space. I want to know if stimming gets better with age. I am really worried
Stimming can change with age and it can lessen as other coping mechanisms are developed over time. My son still engages in stimming at the age of 22; however, it is never present at a job, class, or community program. His flapping and squealing only happen when he is really excited. Please do not worry or try to extinguish the stims as they are often replaced by something else. You have to understand the function of it.
Hello, I am studying ABA and currently committed to 10 hrs/ wk at an internship, which focuses on programs for autistic children. Is it common practice to want to interrupt and stop stimming? The little boy I’ve been observing stims by rubbing his fingers together close to his eyes with sounds ranging from humming to yelling. Once told to sit nicely he listens but at times he has to finish the stimming. I know this is a relief for him and feel it’s ok for the few seconds he does it. The RBA said I can’t just let him sit and stim. Interested in your thoughts on this. Thank you.
Many people think they need to stop stims from happening but I am not of that school of thought. Stims happen for a reason – they can be calming, reduce sensory overload, or can be an expression of emotion. What right do any of us have to say it’s not OK to flap and squeal when excited if this is someone’s expression of excitement? Observe when the stimming is happening. Is it during a period of overload (activity, background noise, verbal demands, transitions). Neurotypicals often don’t understand stimming behavior. If a stim in harmful in some way, then you have to try and help. Some people pick skin to the point of bleeding and infection. That requires help. Try to observe and understand the purpose of the stimming. You described a situation where the child needed to finish the stimming, then he could focus.
My adult daughter aged 34 I suspected is on Asperger spectrum and we as a family have coped with all her traits however over the past few months what started off as tics is now full blown stimming. She stamps on floor punches sides of sofa slaps her face amongst other things. There are no triggers I’m aware of but it’s constant. I’m afraid she’s going to hurt herself and I don’t know what to do…..
There are triggers to these behaviors and the underlying cause is more than likely stress. Please read Bo Elven’s book No Fighting, No Biting, No Screaming – https://autismawarenesscentre.com/shop/behaviour/no-fighting-no-biting-no-screaming-how-to-make-behaving-positively-possible-for-people-with-autism-and-other-developmental-disabilities/
You want to look at using the Low Arousal Approach – http://www.lowarousal.com
I have no idea what your daughter’s living situation is, if she works, what her sleep habits are and how she spends her day so I can’t really comment on her stress levels. You say your daughter is suspected to have AS – this means she is not diagnosed? Here is information on how to obtain an adult diagnosis in the UK – https://www.autism.org.uk/about/diagnosis/adults.aspx
Please let me know if you need additional guidance.
My name is Leo, and I’m 16 years old. I have ADHD, general anxiety, and social anxiety, and I believe that I may be on the spectrum. I tend to flap my hands whenever I’m really excited or happy. My dad says that I need to stop the flapping because it’s disruptive and distracting to other people, but there aren’t any other stims that provide the same feeling. How can I explain to my dad why I stim and why it’s unhelpful to try and stop the stimming?
You need to let your dad know that it is a way that you express yourself and you can’t change that. My son is 22 and still does what you do when he is happy or excited. There is nothing wrong with it. You need to be yourself and do what is right for you.
Whats a replacement for genital stimming for a boy who is severely autistic?
Natalie, what type of clothing does he wear? Is he right into his pants or is this stimming done externally on the outside of the clothing? You may be able to redirect this behavior with a fidget toy. Having clothing that allows less access to genitals can help reduce this. Stimming does have a function as it is often self-soothing. You may have to experiment with different fidget toys to find one that works.
If you have heard about Stephen Porge’s Polyvagal theory, stimming makes absolute sense. Those are self-soothing behaviours that calm you down, bring you back in a place of feeling safe. Stephen Porges even recommends to play an instrument, gargle or hum to stimulate the Ventral Vagus. Peter Levine uses the VOO-sound for the same reason. In fact stimming is a genius tool and people should consider it weird.
Hi. My 12 yo daughter all of a sudden stopped flapping her arms and began holding her breath. She’s always had a fast breathing pattern but now she’s holding it. We are also noticing and getting complaints of dizziness. She’s fallen several times. We’ve already had the blood work and ct scans done and have a neurologist appointment 5 months away. Any idea why the change in behavior and what can I do to help her? Nothing has changed in her surroundings and she has a pretty stress free environment.
Andrea, do you have any idea why the arm flapping stopped? Is it possible that someone tried to stop this and it has been replaced with holding her breath? Does that have a pattern to it? When does it occur? Is the breath holding causing the dizziness?if you can answer these questions, I may be able to troubleshoot for you.
My daughters new stimming behavior is picking. It is so hard and this occurs when she’s mad or has to do something she does want to. Other forms of stimming are slapping arm or face. As a small child she would pull hair, pick belly button, bang head on the ground. I try to give her Calm Child syrup which has helped but fully effective. Is this a behavior to medicate if they are harmful to their selves?
This behavior is often sensory related as a result of overload to the sensory system. You will have to be a detective and try to keep a log book of when there harmful stims occur to pinpoint their function. Does this happen when a transition is occurring? During meal preparation (some people find the smell of certain foods very alarming)? Here is a link to some information on self-injurious behavior from the Autism Research Institute which you may find helpful to pinpoint the cause – https://www.autism.com/symptoms_self-injury
I currently work with a pre-schooler who stims by hand flapping or holding a straight object in his fingers and moving his hand up and down ( so that pencils look like they are made out of rubber) To me it appears that he does this to cope with the 10-15 other children around him. He is a very happy child and observes the other children. I don’t have an issue with his stimming with objects, however there has been some debate over it and that if we take a stim toy away so he can have a diaper changed or something else, we are not to give it back. I disagree! I feel that if he willingly or even non willingly gives it, he should get it back because it is serving a purpose to him. Is there any research that you can provide me or direct me to that states this is perfectly healthy for him to do? I just want him to adjust at his own pace and not have it forced on him. Thank you
Marsha, it is you that are on the right track, not the people who are saying you should not give back the toy. If you remove a stim toy, it will be replaced with something else or some other behavior which may not be desirable. Here is another article on stimming – https://www.carautismroadmap.org/stimming-what-is-it-and-does-it-matter/ and this one – https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319714.php . You never take away a stimming article suddenly. It should not be forced or this will lead to challenging behavior.
I am pleased to hear how happy this child is and that is the main thing. We often don’t talk about happiness and well being around individuals with an ASD, yet it should be the most important thing.
The putting of an object in his fingers and moving it up and down may be a way of reducing the sensory input coming from the other children around him.
Marsha, stick to your guns as you are doing the right thing. Let me know if you need any more direction.
Hi my daughter is nine with ASD her stimming is a lot of facial movements and hand she is in grade four and it is affecting her social life just wondering if anyone had any ideas how to handle this
Debbie, I am not sure how to answer your question. Are you certain that the facial movements are stims and not tics? Are they involuntary movements? Could you describe the facial movements?
Hi! In order to change this behavior, you have to understand its FUNCTION so that you replace it with another behavior that serves the SAME FUNTION. Best of luck with your daughter’s progress!