Parents of autistic children often query should they stop their autistic child stimming. We dive into this complex question below.

Stopping autistic stimming

I am assuming if you have come across this page then you are well aware of what stimming is in autism.

With that said however it is worth reminding all of us what it is all about.

Stimming is short for self-stimulatory behaviour, and it is a common behaviour in individuals (both young and old) with autism.

It refers to repetitive movements or sounds that an individual engages in to help them regulate their sensory and emotional experience.

Examples of stimming

Stimming behaviours can vary wildly but include hand-flapping, rocking, spinning, or repeating words or phrases.

Sometimes children stim during times of stress, boredom or just because they like the feeling it provides.

What should parents do?

As a paren of a child with autism, it can be difficult to know how to respond to stimming behaviour.

Some for example may view it as socially unacceptable or worry that it could interfere with the child’s ability to function in society.

However, it’s important to understand that stimming is a coping mechanism that can be crucial for an autistic child’s mental health and emotional regulation.

Ok but what about stopping them?

In most cases, it is not necessary to stop a child from stimming, and doing so may actually cause harm.

Stimming can be a helpful way for children to calm down and cope with stress, anxiety, and overstimulation.

Forcing an autistic child to stop stimming can create more stress and anxiety, potentially leading to other harmful behaviours.

Negatives of stimming

Without wanting to turn this article into an outright contradiction of itself it is also worthwhile to discuss negative aspects of stimming.

It’s important to recognise that while stimming can be helpful, it can also interfere with social interactions and learning.

For example, hand-flapping during a conversation with someone else could be distracting and make it difficult for the child to follow along with what the other person is saying.

In these cases, rather than stopping the stimming behaviour altogether, it may be helpful to redirect it to a more socially acceptable action that serves the same function.

For instance, if a child is rocking back and forth during a conversation, they can be redirected to tapping their foot on the ground or squeezing a stress ball.

What about dangerous stimming?

It’s important to note that some forms of stimming can be harmful, such as biting or hitting oneself.

In these cases, it’s important to seek the advice of a medical professional or therapist to develop a plan to replace the harmful stimming behaviour with a safer alternative.

Summary – Should you stop your autistic child stimming

Ultimately, your best course of action in dealing with stimming will vary on the type of stim and your child’s individual needs.

In most cases, it is not necessary to stop stimming behaviour, as it can be crucial for an autistic child’s mental health and emotional regulation.

However, it’s important to recognise when stimming may be interfering with social interactions or learning and redirect the behaviour to a more socially acceptable one.

If the stimming behaviour is outright harmful, seek the advice of a medical professional or therapist to develop a plan to replace the behaviour with a safer alternative.