Autistic children and adults do many things that typical children and adults cannot understand, and the one that is often most prominent is self-stimulation. Called “stimming” in the autism world, self-stimulation is repetitive behavior used solely to engage the senses. Examples include humming, clapping, waving hands, manipulating objects (such as tearing paper), or running in circles. While these behaviors may seem inappropriate or unnecessary to others, people with autism aren’t just seeking attention or trying to be disruptive—stimming is a way to reduce the stress in the world.
Autism is a disorder that causes people to react to sensory stimuli in atypical ways. Stimming is one way to deal with this bodily malfunction. For example, rocking is a common form of stimulation. Some autistic people have claimed that rocking back and forth a few times helps them refocus when they become overly sensitive to the world around them. We all do this to some degree. Can you remember a time when you repeatedly tapped your pencil because you were nervous about a test or fiddled with your notes before giving a big speech? Often these and other behaviors, such as nail biting or whistling, are involuntary but help calm us down. Some autistic people need this calming effect every day, multiple times. Other singles enjoy the sensory sensations derived from stimming. In the same way that you may enjoy the sensations of a back rub, an autistic individual may enjoy the sensations of tearing a piece of paper.
Remember, however, that these stimulating behaviors can turn into obsessions. Divide stimming into two categories: calming and arousing. Calming stimulation helps the child to refocus, as we all do when we are nervous, while uplifting stimulation directs the child’s attention in a negative way. For example, typical children are said to be “very nervous,” and for an autistic child, being nervous can mean clapping, yelling, or running. This type of stimulation is harmful, as it interferes with attention and reinforces inappropriate behavior.
One branch of stimming includes attachment to certain items. Most children have a favorite doll or blanket that goes everywhere, but for an autistic child, this habit is never broken. The item can be something that is textually pleasing, or something that the autistic person likes to smell, hear, or look at. Along with the attachment to a specific item, autistic people may also find an attachment to the organization of items. For example, he or she may self-stimulate by repetitively lining up items. This can also become an obsession.
Pacing can be a hard habit to break because it’s so enjoyable for an autistic person. A little stimulation isn’t a bad thing, for the same reasons we all stimulate ourselves when we’re nervous. However, if a child’s stimming interferes with learning, disrupts others, or becomes an obsession or addiction, steps must be taken to reduce this action. Discourage stimming if it makes sense: every case is different and therefore no hard and fast rules can be set regarding stimming. Stimulation is all about comfort, and your child, autistic or not, should feel comfortable as long as his activities don’t interfere with others or aren’t self-destructive. When it comes to stimming, you want to reduce these behaviors, but remember that complete removal is usually not necessary. Autistic people perceive the world in a different way and we must take that into account. Removing or stopping stimming altogether can lead to sensory overload.
