What is Stimming and How Can I Help My Child?

WHAT IS STIMMING AND HOW CAN I HELP MY CHILD?

Stimming is the short version of self-stimulation or self-stimulatory behavior. It is a self-soothing mechanism characterized by the repetition of movements, words, or sounds. As it is commonly found among children diagnosed with autism, some professionals refer to the behavior as autistic stereopathy or stereotypy. It is just much easier to say stimming when describing these activities in everyday life.

Although stimming is common among children with autism, any individual can engage in stimming. Examples include tapping or chewing a pencil while thinking, repetitive doodling while bored, cracking knuckle when stressed, or biting fingernails when nervous. Just like the repetitive behavior is called “stimming,” some people refer to the selected repetitive actions as stims.

Scientists and anthropologists believe that stimming is a way the body centers itself in response to environment stimuli or relieves anxiety during instances of heightened tension. Stimming can be tactile (related to touch), visual (related to eyes or sight), auditory (related to hearing), olfactory (connected to the sense of smell), or vestibular (related to sense of balance). Because there is a strong association between stims and the senses, it is common for individuals diagnosed with sensory processing disorder to engage in stimming behavior.

While some stimming behaviors can seem quite mild (such as rocking slightly on feet while engaged in small talk), children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can display stimming that seems quite pronounced to other people. Examples may include arm or hand flapping, repetitive noises or words, repeatedly looking at objects sideways (for visual stimulation), listening to the same song over and over, head banging against hard surfaces, or hard blinking.

Since children with autism often use stimming as a form of self-regulation, they may not respond will if the parent appears upset or tries to abruptly interrupt, stop, or interfere with their stimming. However, it is perfectly understandable if a parent is worried that a child’s stimming will eventually result in self-injury or self-harm (such as scratching, slapping, or head banging against the floor). It can also feel frustrating when parents try to stop the stimming and only encounter fighting and resistance instead.

For these reasons, the best question is not “How do I stop stimming?” Instead, it is more helpful to ask, “What is the best way to discover the motivation behind stemming and how do I help my child?”



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