If your autistic child is scratching either others or themselves then it is understandable to try and work out how to stop this behaviour.

In this article we give you some ideas and tactics to consider.

Tactics to try

An autistic child scratching can be incredibly difficult to deal with and can be distressing for all parties concerned.

Some of the tactics you can try however to address this behaviour are as follows;

Teach empathy

Children with autism may have difficulty understanding other people’s emotions and perspectives.

You can teach your child empathy by using pictures or videos that show people’s emotions and explaining how scratching others can hurt them.

Using happy and sad cards can be helpful also in that your child may start to associate scratching with a sad card and reduce the behaviour.

Provide sensory input

Sometimes, children with autism scratch others because they are seeking sensory input.

In such cases, you can provide them with other sensory activities that are less harmful, such as squeezing a stress ball or playing with textured toys.

Take preventative measures

In some cases, your child may require protective clothing to prevent them from scratching others. This can include gloves or longer tops.

You could also try to keep their nails short to make it impossible or at least difficult to scratch. Naturally cutting an autistic child’s nails can be challenging in itself.

Consider therapy

If your child’s scratching behaviour persists, it may be beneficial to seek professional help.

A therapist can work with your child to identify the underlying causes of the behaviour and develop a treatment plan.

Work with their school

If your child is at school it is important to work in a joined up approach with teachers and support staff. Confront the problem head on and be proactive in arranging meetings to discuss.

It may be that their teachers have ideas or solutions which you haven’t considered.

Identify triggers

One important step is to work out when and why your child is scratching. You can keep a notepad or jot a memo in your phone to record when the behaviour occurs.

It may be for example that your child is scratching when they are hungry, thirsty or tired. Armed with that information you can prepare your tactics.

Work on communication

It may be that your child is scratching due to frustrations related to communication. Consider therapy if that option is available to you or alternatively you could try to work on their communication at home.

Summary – How to stop an autistic child scratching

Stopping your child from scratching can be a challenging process, but with patience and persistence, you can help your child overcome this behaviour.

Remember that every child is different, and what works for one child may not work for another. If one strategy is not effective, try another one until you find what works best for your child.