| rents work to find effective treatments for | | | | 3. They don’t like the change to their |
| autism, many of the usual symptoms their | | | | routine that the new or increased frequency of |
| children display will continue. In the majority of | | | | treatment is introducing. |
| cases, this often includes some form of | | | | Of course these reasons aren’t the only |
| ‘stimming’. Stimming is an | | | | ones. However, the key is to monitor behavior |
| extremely common autism symptom that | | | | and see if the stimming levels out, increases |
| includes certain repeated behaviors or | | | | further or decreases as the treatment program |
| movements. These behaviors are self-stimulating | | | | progresses. |
| and consist of repetitive behaviors that are | | | | It is also important to keep in mind that stimming |
| performed to stimulate the senses. Examples of | | | | behaviors can turn into obsessions. When |
| stimming include clapping, running in circles, | | | | identifying characteristics for treatment for |
| humming, or manipulating objects (such as bending | | | | autism, divide your child’s stimming into |
| straws or ripping paper). | | | | two groups: excitatory and calming. |
| Though stimming behaviors may appear to be | | | | Stimming that is calming is the kind that helps |
| unnecessary or even unsuitable to some | | | | your autistic child to regain focus when feeling |
| situations, they’re not done to draw | | | | stress or anxiety. On the other hand excitatory |
| attention or to disrupt. Instead, stimming | | | | stimming sends your child’s focus in a |
| behaviors are often used in order to decrease the | | | | negative direction. |
| stress levels of the child performing them. As | | | | An example of excitatory stimming could be |
| autism causes children to react atypically to | | | | when an autistic child gets wound up and instead |
| sensory stimuli, they often use stimming to help | | | | of smiling and giggling, he or she might start |
| to deal with their sensory issues. | | | | clapping, running, or yelling. This can be detrimental |
| Rocking is another kind of stimming behavior that | | | | behavior as it encourages behaviors that can be |
| is common among autistic children. Many autistic | | | | inappropriate and are not conducive for effective |
| children feel that rocking back and forth allows | | | | learning. |
| them to reestablish a sense of focus when they | | | | Stimming may also be an attachment to specific |
| feel overly sensitive to the stimulus from their | | | | objects. Though most small children will often |
| surroundings. It can also help with concentration | | | | have a favorite toy such as a doll or blanket, in |
| and focus. | | | | the case of autistic children they may struggle |
| Though it is more obvious in autistic children, | | | | give up their attachment to this object. It may be |
| non-autistic children and adults also participate in | | | | something that they like to smell, look at, hear, or |
| forms of stimming. Consider the number of times | | | | touch. |
| you’ve seen someone drumming their | | | | Stimming can also take the form of organizing |
| fingers, tapping their pencil, fidgeting with paper, or | | | | things. For example, an autistic child may |
| bounced a knee when sitting down. Anxiety tends | | | | self-stimulate by placing things in order, lining them |
| to worsens these behaviors. Though behaviors | | | | up, or stacking things. This, like other stimming |
| such as biting nails or whistling are often done | | | | behaviors, can easily become an obsession. |
| involuntarily, they do help us to keep control over | | | | Stimming habits can be very challenging to break |
| our emotions and calm us down in tense | | | | as they are often relaxing and enjoyable and |
| situations. As children with autism usually find | | | | provide a coping mechanism for an autistic child. |
| stressors in more of the stimuli in their | | | | As a parent you will need to decide what |
| environment, they often ‘stim’ | | | | stimming behavior is acceptable both in terms of |
| regularly throughout the day and especially when | | | | the action itself and frequency. Bear in mind that |
| placed into a new environment. | | | | trying to stop all stimming could be very stressful |
| If you find that your child’s level of | | | | for your child. So concentrate on the behaviors |
| stimming increases in line with the introduction of | | | | that are excitory or inappropriate and leave the |
| new of more frequent treatments there could be | | | | calming or harmless activities alone. |
| a number of reasons for this. | | | | When considering a treatment for autism for your |
| 1. They are looking for reassurance as they learn | | | | child, make sure that the doctor or specialist is |
| something new | | | | aware of all of your child’s stimming |
| 2. The situation is stressful for them so they are | | | | behaviors so that they can be properly |
| retreating to what is familiar – the | | | | addressed. Keep in mind that stimming often |
| stimulatory behavior | | | | differs from one form of autism to the next. |