What is the Meaning of Stimming?
Self-stimulatory behavior, also known as stimming and self-stimulation. Stimming – or stims is the repetition of physical movements, sounds, or repetitive movements of objects common in individuals when they may expose to stress or anxiety. People with autism may exhibit stimming when they are overloaded with high level of anxiety.
Hand flapping, rocking, vocalization or repetitive movements in autistic children may confuse many neurotypicals who want to control such behavior in people with an autism spectrum disorder. These stimming behaviors look strange and dangerous to the rest of us but these behaviors really serve a purpose for the people with ASD.
Is Stimming Always Related to Autism?
Self-Stimulating behaviors like repetitive movements or sounds are referred to as stimming. Stimming is normal in some way but it is an important part of the diagnostic criteria of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Types of Common Stimming
Common stimming behaviors, you can observe in people or in yourself, include:
- biting their fingernails
- take out hair and twirl flick of hair around their finger again and again
- cracking their knuckles or other joints of fingers and toes
- making sound by drumming their fingers
- jiggling their foot for a long period
- whistling or vocalization
Types of ASD Stimming Behaviors
- rocking
- flapping hands again (hand flapping Aspergers)
- and again or flicking or snapping fingers (autism finger flicking)
- bouncing, jumping, or twirling without observing any obstacle
- pacing or walking on tiptoes (strange hand and body movement)
- pulling hair forcefully
- repeating words or phrases
- rubbing the skin or scratching
- repetitive blinking
- staring at lights or rotating objects such as ceiling fans
- licking, rubbing or stroking particular types of objects
sniffing at people or objects - rearranging objects
Children with autism can spend hours arranging their toys. They do not spend their time playing with their toys rather they love to arrange their toys.
There is a list of other repetitive behaviors in autistic children that can really cause physical harm like:
- headbanging
- start punching or start biting to themselves or others
- swallow non-edible items that can really put their lives to danger
How to Reduce Stimming Behaviors Autism?
Stimming is positive to some extent but most of the stimming behaviors are dangerous for the life of an autistic child. It is very important to help autistic people to improve their quality of life. Two main techniques can gently help a person who engages in harmful stimming, one removes the cause and the second redirects to something less harmful.
1. Remove the stimulator/cause
When stimming behavior started, look for the stimulator. The problem stimulator that causing stress must be removed pre-emptively before the stress becomes overloaded.
2. Redirect the Stimming Behavior to something less harmful
In case you can’t remove the stressor or unable to identify the stimulator then see if you can redirect the person to a comfort stim that is less harmful like holding an ice cube or letting them draw a paper with a pencil.
Autism Stimming Example (Fathering Autism)
So I have a girl has a lot of stems or stemming behavior.
what is Autism Stemming?
self-stimulatory behavior also known as stemming and self-stimulation is the repetition of physical movements sounds or repetitive movement of objects common in individuals with developmental disabilities. But most prevalent people with autistic spectrum disorders.
Basically it’s a way in which people with autism calm or stimulate themselves. So my girl has a lot of stems and they change constantly. So we took a very scientific approach to it as a family. We wanted to really dig deep into what these stems do for her. I’m totally lying. We pretty much just reenacted the stimming tried to see what she got out of it. Not very scientific at all there’s no science.
There’s a whole lot of science behind autism stemming. I could do multiple videos on stemming books are written about stemming. We don’t I’m for that for those of you they don’t know us. Please understand there’s a big difference between making fun of and having fun with.
We celebrate it and have fun with it we would like you to enjoy it as well and we make fun of neurotypical people a lot. So why treat Angel my girl any different. We’re just going to try out some autism stimming behaviors. Twisting five-o both of them are too simplistic. So it’s got a neat piano. Yeah, it does it’s like you’re doing this. Thank you, lady, you can do it. You get down there whoo I’m close your head back and forth. why is your foot trembling does it hurt. This is a good night that is fine. Whatsoever that’s just a painful way for some face hugs no game at all god.
They’re so much bigger than her. I totally get it. I’m very calm right now I’m not that’s fantastic. I see why the stresses are out. You stressing me out right now. This one feels better because it has a little sound to it. It’s got a little pop. I feel like I’m doing a beat but his ears are just floppy flesh some Africa.
What do you think about stemming behavior?
Thanks, think for the insight. Do you feel? You feel more comfortable not at all. Don’t understand that one and not at all okay. So what do you think? Uh, I don’t know what the grunting thing is blinking feels weird. I think she does the grunting for her throat. Yeah, but it doesn’t do anything on me. Nope, your stimming exhaust me. Yeah, I feel better, joy that. I really feel like I feel empowered right now moving Aidid here. We go like I just got a bunch out like a breath of fresh air. Sure as a family we cherish the things that make Abigail special. We love the things that make her different and Fraga guilt it’s really a part of who she is.
Point to Ponder
People with stimming should be helped through a gentle approach. The gentle approach will increase the chances of empowerment for both the person who is trying to help and the person who is in need of help to stop harmful behaviors.
Leave a Reply