Stimming

Every time I watch my twins working with their ABA - BI's (Applied Behavior Analysis - Behavior Instructors) I see something new. Not necessarily something new that they are doing, but, maybe something that I haven't noticed before. Today I noticed that they have certain "tells" about what their next action will be - like a poker player that can't hide when (s)he has a great or awful hand. When Daniel is all done working (whether it's the end of his session or not) he will begin to look at everything but his table, and he'll try to make his instructor laugh. He'll also start start looking out of the sides of his eyes - or display another stimming behavior, or just get silly. If he's tired, not feeling well or hungry, he'll begin to act out or cry and become more aggressive.

Anthony will start staring at his hands, or staring at the table when he's decided he's had enough (whether he's tired, doesn't want to work or just thinks he should be done). Then he will try to ignore his instructor. If those things don't work, he'll try to escape from the table and get them to chase him down. If he's hungry, he will get begin to get aggressive.

Our ABA - BI's are excellent in the way that they deal with the boys... less than stellar... behaviors. I'm very pleased with their training, patience and skill with re-directing when needed.

Other behaviors the boys exhibit are the same as many other kiddos on the spectrum, and are called "stimming". Stimming is short for "self-stimulating" behavior, and believe it or not, every one stims at some point. Most neurotypical kids (those without ASD) are stimming when they: suck their thumb, bite their nails, tap their pencil, twirl their hair, etc. People with ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) will have different stims depending on the "input" they need. Some have: oral fixations (they are constantly chewing on things), hand flapping, spinning objects, door / cabinet slamming, walking on tip toes, etc. Unlike other behaviors, stimming is generally an unconscious (or subconscious) action on the part of the one doing it.

Some people will try to stop an autistic child from "stimming" behaviors or redirect to another behavior, unfortunately, you can't always predict what behavior they will "pick up" to take it's place. So, you have to ask yourself whether the "behavior" you're trying to stop will be replaced by better one, or...  something worse. Most stimming behavior is a coping mechanism for one thing or other. Many children on the spectrum, from PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder) to Asperger's Syndrome, seem to stim more when they are: over or under stimulated; reacting to pain in the body somewhere; trying to manage their emotions; or simply need a calming or soothing. Another main reason for stimming can be "Sensory Processing Disorder", but that's a blog for another day. There are other reasons for stimming, I'm sure, but these are the main reasons I've been able to verify. Not only from my observations, but also from researching online.

Living with kiddos on the spectrum gives you a unique perspective of human nature. It's a very interesting process - learning about the the different aspects of the autism spectrum. You really do learn something new every day. The funny thing is that with all the "stimming", breakdowns or meltdowns they may have, you realize that in most cases other people wouldn't even have a clue that a kiddo is autistic without getting to know them. So, if you do see a child displaying an "odd" behavior, throwing a "tantrum" or some other behavior that may be generally "unacceptable", just try to remember - you never know why the behavior is occurring.

From a mother's heart - Don't frown, don't judge, offer to help or politely smile and walk away.