Stimming

2xmom · 03-05-2010, 01:16 PM

What is stimming? Is there such a thing as visual stimming?
Should you let them stim, or try to redirect / stop the stimming?

Turtle... can you help explain this???

Indigo74 · 03-05-2010, 01:25 PM

I know turtle and others will have lots of info, but yes, there is definitely such a thing as visual stimming. If it is something that could be stigmatizing or significantly interferes with other daily activities, then it can be beneficial to try to find a replacement activity---something that still provides the same sensory experience but in a different way.

2xmom · 03-05-2010, 01:42 PM

That makes sense. DS seems to always focus on ceiling lights when we're out somewhere new, when he's anxious at school, out shopping.... We can distract him from it. It's just something he does daily and at age 5 I'm concerned. That combined with this other happy-like stim (if that's what it is... I dunno?) we've noticed, and his teacher too, have us concerned. I don't think it interferes with his daily activity. Well, maybe less of an attention span (which is already limited) at school??

suddserifec · 03-05-2010, 02:52 PM

dd2 rocks back and forth when she is stressed or something is bothering her.

She also runs in circles for a long period of time if we let her which we try not to.

With both we try to redirector though. Sometimes it works and others it doesn't.

Dd is also obsesed with lights. They have to be on. Our dinning room has to be on all the time while she is on the main floor. Our downstairs toy room lights have to be off.

When we are out she freaks if they are not on. We were at Pdd clinic at CPRI and they are on sensors while the lady was away summerizing out paperwork we sat on the floor with dd2 b/c she was at her limit and we wanted to prevent a meltdown. Well about five minutes of being on the floor the lights went out. Well didn't that send her over the deep end.

Tanya-Mae · 03-05-2010, 04:32 PM

Daegan has a sensory bin at school. He likes to put things in his mouth and smell things... inappropriately. He is pulled out of class 2x daily for “tasting time“ It might be reducing his mouthing in class, if nothing else it is helping to teach him about tastes (ie spipcy, sour, etc). We are now looking into how we can introduce scents into this... he goes to a scent-free school.

AuntPetunia · 03-05-2010, 04:52 PM

Stimming is short for self-stimulation. It can be visual (fingers in your face, strobe lights, blinking rapidly, pressing your eyeball), vocal (coughing or clearing your throat, screaming, whispering), oral (licking, sucking), tactile (touching stuff, rubbing stuff), kinetic (rocking, running, jumping), auditory (scripting, making sounds, playing something over and over), olfactory (sniffing everything), etc. etc. Anything to stimulate your senses.

We stim all the time, but like the PP said, it's a problem when it's either not socially acceptable or interferes with your daily life. This applies to everyone, not just people with ASD. It's also not exclusive to ASD in the realm of disabilities/disorders - many people with various disabilities stim. I crack my knuckles and play with my hair. My DH chomps his gum ridiculously loud, I could pop my gum until everyone around me goes crazy. But chewing gum is socially acceptable. Chewing your shirt collar is not.

There are various ways to deal with stimming. You can try to extinguish it (get rid of it) which will require a replacement behaviour for it (e.g. licking a sucker instead of your hand), or you can limit it to certain times/places. It's a soothing thing for people, so as long as it's not harming anyone, it can be fine. Only you can judge that though. Some people also can't come 'out' of a stim phase if you let them get into it and just wind up tighter and tighter. Others just need to get it out and then can get on with their day.

That's all I've got.

2xmom · 03-05-2010, 06:53 PM

Thanks ladies. DS definitely stims (never does it at any important appointments and rarely ever around our friends/family). He seems to do it when he's bored or anxious.
He'll stare up at ceiling lights and talk about them when he's nervous, or he'll make this odd sound and facial expression and run back and forth. It's easy to redirect him, and he doesn't do it for long periods, but it is odd. I should just let him do it then... at home anyways?? I'm just concerned that he'll do it at school and kids will tease him. His teacher has noticed the sounds and facial expression thing happening for the past couple months. DS has also been more anxious at school (due to supply teachers, new ST, new OT, new student teacher....)

Just another thing to drive myself crazy thinking about!!

barkingboys · 03-05-2010, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2xmom

...Just another thing to drive myself crazy thinking about!!

Oh how do we count the ways that we drive ourselves crazy with worry?! I'd never heard of stimming before, but hope your DS' does not get teased for it! Perhaps the kids are all in their own little moments and do not notice...or perhaps he doesn't do it much at school.