Stimming???
This is a relatively new term to my vocabulary I never heard of this before until I did some more extensive research on autism and the symptoms of autism . This is the definition of
Stimming is a repetitive body movement that self-stimulates one or more senses in a regulated manner. Stimming is known in psychiatry as a "stereotypy", a continuous, purposeless movement.
Stimming is one of the symptoms listed by the DSM IV for autism, although it is observed in about 10 percent of non-autistic young children. Many autistics have no stims. Common forms of stimming among people with autism include hand flapping, body spinning or rocking, lining up or spinning toys or other objects, echolalia, perseveration, and repeating rote phrases. [1]
There are many theories about the function of stimming, and the reasons for its increased incidence in autistic people. For hyposensitive people, it may provide needed nervous system arousal, releasing beta-endorphins. For hypersensitive people, it may provide a "norming" effect, allowing the person to control a specific sense, and is thus a soothing behavior. [2]
| Sense | Stimming Actions |
|---|---|
| Visual | Flapping hands, blinking and / or moving fingers in front of eyes; staring repetitively at a light |
| Auditory | Making vocal sounds; snapping fingers |
| Tactile | Scratching; rubbing the skin with one's hands or with an external object |
| Vestibular | Moving body in rhythmic motion; rocking front and back or side-to-side |
| Taste | Licking body parts; licking an object |
| Smell | Smelling objects or hands; other people |
The above is only an illustrative list, and there may be several other stimming actions displayed by a child or a person affected with autism.
My son has demonstrated almost every example on this list. Hope it was as helpful to you as it was to me :o)
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