How to Stop Stimming Behavior in a Child with Autism

How to Stop Stimming Behavior in a Child with Autism
Arman Khodaei
Arman Khodaei has been writing professionally since 2004, when his short memoir was published in the "Nota Bene" anthology, for which he received the Reynolds Scholarship. He serves on an Autism Committee for the California State Senate and has been involved in the autistic community for more than five years. He received his Associate of Arts from Lakeland Community College.
By Arman Khodaei, eHow Contributor
http://www.ehow.com/how_6231924_stop-stimming-behavior-child-autism.html

How to Stop Stimming Behavior in a Child with Autismthumbnail You can help your child overcome stimming behaviors

Autism, a disorder of the mind, affects one in every 110 American children, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Some common signs of autism are lack of eye contact, lack of interest in other people and, sometimes, obsessive focus on a single task or idea. Stimming, or self-stimulation, is another identifying feature of autism. Some common stimming behaviors include hand-flapping, repeating words and phrases, watching one scene from a movie or listening to one song over and over and, in some

Difficulty:
Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1.
* 1

Stim when your child stims. If your child flaps her hands, flap your hands with her. If your child sings, sing along. This strategy is similar to the those used by the Son-Rise Program and Floortime methods. The theory is that you need to connect with your child first. This demonstrates that you understand the child's world and that you're willing to connect with it. Some people feel this method encourages the child to continue stimming, but the Son-Rise Program and Floortime methods have shown
* 2

Enroll your child with an ABA (applied behavior analysis) therapist. This is the oldest method for treating individuals with autism and has the strongest track record. ABA therapy involves teaching the child what is and isn't appropriate behavior. Children are rewarded when they make eye contact or perform other desirable behaviors.
* 3

Discuss stimming behavior with your child. Ask him to describe what he feels when he stims. Ask why he does it. Tell him how it makes you feel when he stims in front of you or in public. Politely ask him to try not to do it. Discussion may not work if your child has a hard time comprehending abstract concepts. If that's the case, try discussing stimming with your child on a daily basis. In time, the concepts you talk about may suddenly just "click" with him.
* 4

Show disappointment in your child's stimming behavior. Do this only if nothing else shows results. Many children with autism do not want to disappoint their parents. This method may not cure the behavior, but it may stop the child from stimming in public.
* 5

Keep your expectations realistic. Stimming behavior is wired into the child's brain, and it will take some time to stop it. Don't expect your child to be cured overnight. If you see that she's stimming less, then know that you're making progress.

References

* Life With Asperger's: What is Stimming?
* U.S. Centers for Disease Control: Autism Spectrum Disorders

Resources

* Autism Speaks
* Autism Society of America
* Son-Rise Program
* Floortime Overview
* Center for Autism: Autism Resources