Self Stimulatory Behavior “Stimming”

Stimming is very common with people who have developmental disabilities, ADD, ADHD, SPD, and Autism. It is a way in which people calm themselves from anxiety, fear, and excitement, or arouse themselves from boredom. When a person is stimming, they will do repetitive movements or make repetitive sounds.

Examples of stimming include:

·        Auditory: repeating sounds or words, grunting, snapping fingers

·        Vestibular:  rocking, flapping, knee bobbing, jumping,  head banging, head shaking, spinning, tapping, twirling

·        Taste: biting, chewing/ licking on non-edible objects

·        Tactile: scratching, rubbing

·        Smell: smell people or objects

·        Visual: lining up objects, turning lights on and off, blinking, staring

 

 

Stimming can sometimes help a child focus, but other times keep a child from focusing, be harmful, and looked at as socially unacceptable. For example, there have been times when my son has licked or chewed on playground equipment and other kids thought that was gross. I even had a parent make a comment to me about germs. If I am honest with myself, chewing and licking playground equipment is not practicing great hygiene. I needed to find an alternative or a way I could help him.

I soon learned that I could help reduce or eliminate stimming by providing a social alternative. Before you do this, you have to figure out what is causing the stimming. Ask yourself, when and where does this occur and then why. Once you find the source and cause, you are better able to help your child. For example: When my son is on the playground, it is usually mid day and there are several children running around making a lot of noise. The noise and amount of people make him very nervous. To help him not lick or chew on equipment, we can come at a different time when there are a few amount of people there, or I can redirect his attention by giving him flavorful gum, which he can chew to get his nervous energy out. When redirecting the behavior, make sure the child is getting the same input just doing something different that is socially appropriate.

Here are some alternatives if you are unable to change the environment (the current environment in which your child is stimming in might be over stimulating):

·        Auditory: therapeutic listening, ipod, mp3 player, rain stick, musical instruments

·        Vestibular: heavy work, physical activity, weighted blanket/ lap pad/ animal

·        Tactile: play with a fidget, stress ball, sensory ball (koosh/ spiky ball) or vibrating tool, weighted object, sensory bins, brush, silly putty/ play dough, sea shell, smooth stone, stim stix

·        Taste: chew gum or chewy candy, hard candy, vibrating tool, chewy stix / tubes, chew pencil topper, chew necklace/ bracelet

·        Smell: olfactory box, scented markers, scented spray, scented lotion, scented soap, scented oils

·        Visual: ipad, leapster, sensory bottle, glitter wand, glow stick, plasma ball, light up toys, disco ball

Sometimes when you make your child aware that they are stimming, they can stop. You can say: “You are flapping your hands, can you try to quiet your hands?” If they are able to do this, make sure to provide positive reinforcement (encouraging words/ a treat/ a prize) to help them continue to move in the right direction.

It is important to know that they will not always be able to stop or control it. That is when they need your help, to learn healthy alternatives or learn places where it is appropriate to engage in the stimming behavior and places where it is not. I hope this list of healthy alternatives helps your child.