Our children with ASD can engage in some unique behaviours but what about an autistic child who likes ripping paper?

In this article we explore what may be behind the behaviour and what can be done about it.

Autism and always ripping paper

One behaviour that may puzzle some parents is the fascination autistic children often have with ripping paper.

While it might seem like a simple, albeit messy, activity, there are underlying reasons behind it.

These reasons often connect to sensory processing and developmental needs.

Sensory seeking

Autistic children often experience the world in a heightened or unique way.

This can make them engage in behaviours or activities which seem puzzling to the neuro-typical.

These behaviours can include some of the more common activities such as spinning or even picking skin on their fingers.

Diverse sensory inputs can provide a child (or adult) with feedback which is pleasurable.

The tactile sensation of tearing paper can therfore actually provide a soothing or stimulating effect.

The sound, feel, and even the visual aspect of tearing paper can be a sensory experience that helps regulate their emotions.

Predictability

Ripping paper allows for a level of control and predictability in a world that may feel overwhelming to an autistic child.

The simple act of tearing paper provides a clear cause-and-effect relationship.

What we mean by this is that there are often other behaviours in life which aren’t predictable.

This could include interacting with adults or peers.

On occasion the other person may do exactly what the autistic child wants them to, on others the opposite.

With a simple activity like ripping paper however, it is the same and predictable evey single time.

Demonstration of frustration

Although the most likely reason remains the sensory seeking behaviour, there may be communicative reasons in play.

Paper tearing can serve as a non-verbal way for autistic children to express emotions.

It may become a means of expressing themselves when verbalising feelings proves challenging.

Imagine you were feeling frustrated and you couldn’t express it. A damaging act such as ripping paper may be a way for you to demonstrate these emotions.

It could also be that the paper also represents wider annoyance with school and learning.

Reading and writing may be a source of frustration for the child and therefore ripping paper provides a feeling of protest against the activities.

It may be worth trying to observe the context and accompanying behaviours to better understand the emotional expression behind the paper ripping.

What can parents do about an autistic child ripping paper?

Naturally every child is different and what works for one won’t necessarily work for another.

But with that said here are some tactics to consider;

Provide alternatives

Instead of discouraging the behaviour outright, you could offer alternative materials for sensory exploration.

Experiment with different textures like bubble wrap, fabric, or sensory focused toys to see if the child responds positively to these alternatives.

This stage may require a process of trial and error but what you’re looking for is to slowly edge them away from desiring to rip paper.

Remove access temporarily

Behaviours come and go with autistic children so sometimes it is a case of just needing to break the habit.

Consider a gradual removal of access to ripable paper both at home and at school.

The assistance of teachers and school workers will be key here, but they could try for a period to use plastic textured books and whiteboards to write on.

If as a collective you can stretch out the days between paper ripping, you may be able to put a stop to the behaviour for good.

Create structured activities

If despite your best efforts your child is still very much focused on paper ripping, perhaps steer into the behaviour.

With that in mind you can integrate paper tearing into structured activities.

This could involve incorporating torn paper into art projects, allowing the child to explore their interest in a more controlled and creative manner.

This not only supports their sensory needs but also encourages skill development.

The hope here is that your child will start to associate the paper ripping with these distinct activities and not outside.

Summary – Autistic child who likes ripping paper

Autistic children can engage in a number of activities which may puzzle parents and peers.

The overwhelming majority of these activities will tie into them trying to satisfy sensory needs.

A simple act of ripping paper is likely to provide them feedback which is satisfying and pleasurable.

Unfortunately cleaning up the mess isn’t as pleasurable for the parents!

With that being the case and also alive to the fact that ripping paper in school will be disruptive, you no doubt will want to reduce it if possible.

Consider a process of trial and error trying different tactics to divert them from the disruptive paper ripping.

Over time with patience and love you will likely be able to at least reduce the behaviour.

Good luck.

Any tips or ideas?

We would love to hear from you if you have got any techniques or ideas for our readers to try.

Be sure to leave a comment if any of the above has helped or if you have any ideas we can add to this article.

Also be sure to search for any other articles you might find helpful.

Try for example searching below for topics like ‘meltdown’ or ‘communication’.