Repetitive behaviours and stimming

Stimming is what is known as “self-stimulating behaviour”. It is something everyone does to soothe themselves when stressed – some people talk to themselves, sing or bite their nails - but autistic people tend to do it more, partly as they have more to be anxious about. A person’s stim of preference may be unique: some people doodle, others fiddle with a hairband wound around their fingers, use a fidget toy, such as a fidget noodle, or a stress ball, pick their skin, sing, talk non-stop, repeating a favourite script from a TV or movie... the list goes on.

Stimming used to be thought of as inappropriate, but over time it was realised that stimming serves an important function. It can help a person focus, or it can be the release valve that lowers anxiety and allows a person to cope, particularly in a sensorily challenging environment. If a person has ADHD and is autistic, a fidget toy can keep their focus anchored in the classroom, rather than drifting off somewhere else. Not being able to stim can lead to migraines, stomach problems as a person’s anxiety gets higher and higher.

Autistic adults often have their public and private stims: the public ones are more discreet and more socially acceptable, whereas in private they can flap their hands to their heart’s content. Stimming can also be a source of pleasure as well as anxiety-relief.

For young children, or non-speaking autistic people, stimming is part of their language and can be an excellent way to connect.

Watch Ambitious about Autism’s Youth Patron explain what stimming is.

Routines

Consistency and routine are important for many autistic children and young people to lower their anxiety and for the world to feel safe and predictable.

Lots of autistic children and young people have set routines and this is a helpful strategy to help them feel in control – and for autistic kids with learning and physical disabilities there is not much in their lives that they can control.

Keeping to a routine where possible is an act of kindness for an autistic person. As is supporting a young child through the negative feelings that arise when the routine changes, and spotting that a change in routine can cause a real spike in anxiety. Giving a child a warning if possible, of a change in routine – and encouraging the school to do this too, visually as well as verbally especially if your child is non-speaking or has learning disabilities – can help change become more manageable.

Support strategies

There are strategies that can reduce distress and increase a person’s ability to cope with change. These include:

Visual prompts - using pictures to help children and young people anticipate what is going to happen. For example pictures of new places, visual timetables or social stories. It will also be helpful to have a visual for when an activity has been cancelled (perhaps a cross over the activity)

Physical prompts - for example, going to visit a new location - such as a doctor's surgery - before an event so children are physically familiar with the environment.

Staying calm yourself – anxiety is infectious so if your child’s anxiety spikes try to concentrate on regulating your own emotions, by taking deep breaths and lowering the demands on you when you know an event is likely to cause your child anxiety, or seeing if you can change your day if it wasn’t predictable. If you, the parent or carer, can remain calm then you are showing your child that the situation isn’t frightening.

Warning – give your child warning of an upcoming change so you can talk about it and your child can process the change. Show the change visually – if it’s a new route, print out the route on Google Maps – instead/as well.