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Stimming Examples and Behaviors

Part of the Comprehensive Guide to Stimming

Self-stimulating behaviors are exhibited by all types of people. But, the term stimming — as it’s more commonly referred to — is usually referred to for people who have autism.

This stimming behavior can present itself in a number of different ways. No matter how the child with autism “stims,” the reasoning for it is basically the same.

Children with autism often face challenges with social and communication skills, as well as processing stimuli and their resulting emotions. So, what they do in response to help control their emotions is they “stim.”

Below, we discuss stimming in more detail and provide detailed examples of how children with autism might exhibit this behavior.

Table Of Contents

What Exactly is Stimming?

Stimming generally refers to any action that is repetitive and meant to stimulate one’s senses. Some people stim when there is too much stimulation in their environment, while others might stim when there’s not enough.

Children with autism might have challenges dealing with such environments, and as such, they stim as a way to help them regulation the emotions they’re feeling. They also may stim if a situation is too overwhelming for them.

Stimming itself isn’t harmful. For many people, it can be as simple as biting nails, bouncing legs or tapping fingers if you’re nervous.

For children with autism, stimming might just happen more frequently, and the behavior is often more pronounced. This can cause issues in properly developing communication skills, and it may cause problems in social situations.

That’s why helping children with autism manage their stimming is so important.

What Are Some Examples of Stimming?

Stimming comes in many shapes and senses. In many cases, though, stimming relates to one main sense, though it can certainly involve multiple senses.

Here is a list of the different stimming types, as well as an example of each.

Auditory

Auditory stimming refers to sounds. It might involve an individual making a noise over and over again, or listening to the same sounds repeatedly. It could be that the child claps, hums, clicks their fingers or loves to have a specific song on repeat.

One way to help children manage auditory stimming is by giving them a bubble tube, which makes soft bubbling noises and can soothe them.

Visual

Visual stimming refers to things you can see, and includes any repetitive action that involves sight or the eyes. Examples could be staring at objects that constantly move such as ceiling fans, blinking repeatedly or being fixated on turning lights on and off.

To help children manage visual stims, parents can provide sensory lighting. The constantly changing colors can mesmerize them.

Vocal

Verbal stimming refers to noises, sounds and words. It could be the need to repeat pleasing sounds or sounds that they have heard somewhere else and enjoyed. Examples include clicking their tongue, constantly repeating certain phrases or words, and whistling.

Sound equalizers are a great way to not only help a child manage their verbal stimming, but it also introduces an element that’s visual as well.

Learn more about Vocal Stimming

Tactile

Tactile stimming refers to things that people can touch. In children who tactile stim, different textures and touches can evoke a significantly different reaction than in others. Their stimming could look like squeezing things, leaning into objects, rubbing their hands together and/or touching different surfaces.

There are sensory cushions that vibrate that could help to redirect the child’s tactile stims.

Olfactory and Oral

Olfactory and oral stimming refers to anything related to the nose and mouth. For children who experience this type of stimming, they are drawn to strong smells and tastes, because they got a lot of stimulation out of them.

This type of stimming could present itself in sniffing, licking, chewing, biting, grinding their teeth, or putting objects on their teeth or tongue.

Vestibular

Vestibular stimming involves actions related to balance. Examples include spinning, pacing, rolling, jumping, rocking and other movements.

For children who participate in vestibular stimming, soft play areas are a great fit. They are a safe place where children can move their body in many different ways without the risk of getting hurt.

Blue Gems ABA Helps Children Manage Stimming

Stimming behaviors are common in children with autism, as they help them process their emotions and deal with all the stimuli in the world around them. Stimming can come in many different forms, with some of the most common examples described above.

At Blue Gems ABA, we have trained, licensed and certified BCBAs who are dedicated to helping children with autism develop the social and communication skills they need to succeed in life. We do this by focusing on a science-based treatment called applied behavioral analysis, or ABA therapy.

For more information, please contact Blue Gems ABA today.

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Stimming Examples and Behaviors

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