Autism Awareness Campaign - Stimming

In today’s Autism Awareness poster, I am taking up another behavioural issue, “stimming”.  The word “stimming” refers to self-stimulating behaviours, usually involving repetitive movements and sounds.

Stimming in people with autism can get out of control and cause problems.  Stimming isn’t necessarily a bad thing that needs to be stifled.  But it should be addressed when it is disruptive to others and interfere with quality of life.

A young autistic adult wrote. “I quickly become overwhelmed [in social situations]. Is it surprising that I then feel like blocking the world out and literally putting my thoughts back in order? That I start to rock to tell myself which feelings are mine? That I start speaking to myself or groaning to block out other sounds and so that I know which thoughts are mine? I think anyone experiencing life this way would do the same.”

Stimming may include arm or hand flapping, finger flicking, rocking, jumping, spinning or twirling, head-banging and complex body movements.  We may also see the repetitive use of an object such as flicking a rubber band to twirling a piece of string, or repetitive activities involving the senses (such as repeatedly feeling a particular texture).  My daughter Pratibha does quite a bit of stimming.  She does hand flapping, finger flipping, and rocking..   

The reasons behind repetitive behaviour may be:

• an attempt to gain sensory input [eg. rocking may be a way to stimulate the balance system; hand flapping may provide visual stimulation]. 
• an attempt to reduce sensory input [eg. focussing on one particular sound may reduce the impact of a loud, distressing environment; mainly in social situations]
• to deal with stress and anxiety and to block out uncertainty
• to pass the time and provide enjoyment

If stimming causes social isolation or it becomes disruptive in school or it affects ability to learn, or it causes problems for other family members, or it becomes self injurious, then managing stemming through therapies becomes critical.

Concluding this post with a short poem by Leah Kelley, in Thirty Days of Autism.

“Ode to the Stim”

H stims…

I stim too…

bounce and wiggle

twist a lock

hold tight to that ‘calming rock’

fiddle and fold

squint and spin

squeeze

and then begin again

shoes too big so toes can move

wiggly legs that find their groove

Tom Sawyer pockets with fidgets galore

quiet hands are such a bore