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Auditory Stimming

Part of the Comprehensive Guide to Stimming

Stimming is something that is oftentimes associated with children who have developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ADHD. However, self-stimulatory behaviors are actually things that many people do in their daily lives — sometimes without even noticing it.

People who feel nervous, for instance, may bite their nails, tap their fingers or shake their legs. People stim for various reasons, but the behavior is almost always associated with helping people to cope with situations that they feel are stressful or uncomfortable.

While stimming can occur in anyone, it’s particularly present in children on the autism spectrum. Auditory stimming is just one type of this coping behavior, and some children will tend to exhibit this form over others.

Below, we’ll discuss what auditory stimming is and what role stimming plays in children on the autism spectrum.

Table Of Contents

What is Stimming in General?

Stimming is a general term that refers to any self-stimulating and/or repetitive behavior that an individual will engage in. There are a number of reasons that the behaviors may be occurring, as well as a number of ways in which the behaviors will be expressed.

As mentioned, it could be tapping fingers or biting nails repeatedly when you’re feeling nervous. It could also be auditory in nature, such as making the same sounds over and over again.

Children with autism will typically stim as a response mechanism to different emotions they may feel. In addition to stress, anxiety and fear, they could stim when they feel bored, happy and excited.

A common reason why children on the autism spectrum stim is because they’re feeling overwhelmed in a particular situation. It could be that they’re in a new environment or are around a large crowd of people.

The stimming behavior is a way that they can regulate the emotions and calm themselves.

What is Auditory Stimming?

Auditory stimming refers to sound. It could involve making an identical sound over and over again, or listening to an identical sound repeatedly.

You could observe auditory stimming if your child listens to the same song over and over again, or if they are always humming, clapping their hands or snapping their fingers.

However it manifests itself, auditory stimming will involve a person’s hearing as well as sound in general.

Auditory stimming is also referred to as vocal stimming, because it involves all the body parts that are responsible for hearing and making sounds — the ears, lips, mouth and vocal cords.

Children who exhibit auditory stimming behaviors will usually find comfort through the behaviors that they exhibit, which allows them to regulate their emotions.

What Triggers Auditory Stimming?

Emotions are usually the main trigger for any type of stimming. Many children with autism struggle with processing certain emotions and then expressing how they feel and what they need.

When they feel stressed, for example, they may have trouble telling a parent, teacher or other authority figure who could help. They also may not be able to regulate their emotions in typical ways.

In response, they will exhibit a stimming behavior. Children who participate in auditory stimming will usually find comfort in making or hearing sounds.

By engaging in an auditory stimming behavior, they can self-soothe, reduce their anxiety, focus their attention and relax any sensory overload. In many ways, these auditory stimming behaviors are the child’s ways of expressing themselves and communicating their emotions.

How Does ABA Therapy Approach Auditory Stimming?

Applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy, recognizes that while auditory stimming — and all stimming behaviors — are natural for children who have autism, it’s important to provide strategies to help children manage these behaviors effectively.

ABA therapists may actually encourage auditory stimming behaviors, especially if they’re safe and not harmful. They may encourage the child to go to a safe environment where they can auditory stim if they’re feeling overwhelmed, for instance.

A goal of ABA therapy is also to identify the triggers of auditory stimming. This will allow ABA therapists to create strategies to help children with ASD manage stimming in an effective way while also potentially reducing their exposure to certain triggers.

Children are also taught how to self-regulate themselves in more effective ways. By doing so, they’re better able to express themselves and get the support that they need in particular situations.

Blue Gems ABA Addresses Auditory Stimming

Auditory stimming is a behavior that all different types of people engage in, even if they don’t have ASD. Children with autism, though, may be more likely to engage in this behavior as a way to cope with their emotions and self-regulate themselves.

At Blue Gems ABA, we understand the important role that auditory stimming plays for some children with autism. That’s why our experienced BCBAs integrate and address coping mechanisms and strategies that specifically address auditory stimming in children who exhibit that behavior.

In that way, we are better able to support children with autism and help them build the social, communication and daily life skills with which they may struggle.

To learn more, please contact us today.

References

  1. https://bluegemsaba.com/vocal-stimming/
  2. https://bluegemsaba.com/stimming-examples-and-behaviors/

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