Anyone else think their asd child's stims can be dangerous at times?

[othermother]

Aside from Tom's constant licking of everything (which I think puts him at some risk of picking up nasty bugs....though he does seem to have a fairly good immune system), he also does this thing where he has to tap his shoulders or tap his teeth or stick his tongue out and lick his t-shirt - anyway, sometimes he can be doing something like climbing in the park when he just has to do this tapping/touching/licking thing and he lets go of the equipment and either falls or almost falls.

Just wondered if anyone else's child did stuff like this? And how do you cope? Is there any way of getting them to stop these stims/compulsions?

[mysonben]

My DS has mild asd (3.9) doesn't stim too often, when he does it's mainly vocal, he "humms" like a car, or does this high pitch screech like a whistle, he occasionaly runs on tip toes with his head cocked to the side when he humms, or does twirling hands/fingers movements when he gets very excited.

So it's not putting him at risk, sorry i can't really help.

[othermother]

s'ok mysonben Perhaps someone will come along tomorrow who has experience of this? x

[Goblinchild]

My son is still a tapper and stroker of surfaces, never licked. It's tricky to try and stop someone stimming, but you can try to change the stim if it's a dangerous or very anti-social one. It will take time and small steps, and you need to be clear about what you are trying to accomplish and what is possible.
Analyse what he's doing when he's on equipment.
You need to observe him first to actually see what you are dealing with.
When he falls, is it from a dangerous point, or from a lower position? How often does he actually fall as opposed to almost?
With mine, I used to remind him to have one hand on the equipment at all times, calling 'hand' was enough to remind him to hold on with one if he had to stop and stroke or pat something. he was often more in control of the stim than I thought, couldn't not do it but could exercise some judgement as to what to do at the same time, e.g. hold on.
Bear in mind that climbing in the park is a fairly low-risk activity with play surfaces, so it's a good place to practice.
Before he strokes broken glass on walls, electric fences and barbed wire in the countryside and museum objects. All of which mine has done and survived!

[jasdox]

my ds has this compulsive need to hug/grab people when his waiting/excited. and it is anyone, which is a bit of a problem at pre-school. it's on his IEPs, initially trying to make him aware of it, but having discovered he cannot control it till after the event, we are now trying a scrunchy ball. it's a squeezable ball about 9", so if he needs to hug, use his ball. his only had it one day at pre-school and seems to have picked up the idea, but will not use it at home/out about, but my thoughts are just at school would be great, so hoping it works. the other kids know why he has it and like the idea. also his just starting licking, was just me, but seems to be taking it further, says he loves it! so need to check that one. other stims are word combinations that he likes, just drives you mad sometimes. humming, hand flapping..

[ChopsTheDuck]

Mine is a licker too. I think replacements are defo the way to go. If he has something in his hands to lick it is easier to stop him from licking what I don't want him to lick. Mine loves cuddlies. Or paper to chew.

We get the hugging too, but thankfully it is limited to me. Usually hanging off me which looks slightly absurd with the size of him.

[HecatesTwopenceworth]

The only time I am bothered is when they hit themselves in the face! ds1 used to do it a lot as a toddler, but doesn't any more. He does flap though and atm he's doing this really odd thing where he puts his hand in front of his face, fingers out, and waggles them while making a funny noise Not sure what he's trying to do/be but he gets right into your face!

ds2 never did it when he was younger but has now taken to doing it - and, more worryingly, taking my hand and trying to hit his face with it

[bubblagirl]

my ds hits or headbutts walls when he thinks im not looking i hate this he really has bruised himself before he hits himself in the face smacks his bum dont know why he does this we have never smacked his bum or anywhere

my ds also kind of does this stary thing when he pushes his face into your face but doesnt do anything just pushes his face so close to mine

i have no ways of knowing how to stop him doing the hitting as to him his compensating another feeling some how i try to just say calmly dont do that but he normally just runs off and cries if i catch him

[Frasersmum123]

DS likes to lick, which has only caused him harm once when he tried to lick a wall and he grazed his tongue. He also likes to rock back and forward and he caught himself on the radiator once and needed a couple of butterfly stitches in the back of his head thankfully he seems to have calmed down a bit so doesnt rock as much, but instead he likes to open and close his hands infront of his face.

Like Hecate says, im only worried about it when he hurst himself, luckily he is quite easily distracted so if he is doing something I rather he wouldnt I move him away and get him busy with something else.