ASD is this stimming??

[logi]

Hi,my son is 5 and ASD (recently dx but always knew something was different).Well im still learning about ASD and my son has always loved to run around in circles,or run up and down and spin around and flap his hands he makes this into a game(or so it seems)...my questionis...is this stimming or because he likes the sensation(sensory).My son has good communication and when he is doing these things he is very aware of what he is doing and i thought ASD children when stimming were in their own little world whilst doing so ...please excuse my ignorance as i said im still learning.Oh! and he loves jumping off things (usually coffee table)over and over again.

Yes this is stimming - which is basically any self stimulatory behaviour which is repeated just for the sensation it gives them. If he is aware though, that's a very good sign, as you can reason with him and explain he should do it only at home, or in his room or whatever you decide. When my DSD was young, her mum stopped her physically from doing her stim, as it was a very odd one and would have marked her out in later life. It was so effective that now she checks herself when she gets excited and starts to do her little stim. I've got no patience with the school of thought that says "let them do them, they have a sensory need" as these odd movements are going to narrow down their options and choices in later life, and make them stand out and be exposed to bullying in the teenage years. My boy has the jumping and hand flapping and squealing, but we are trying only to let him do it in his room or when alone now, as it would be disruptive at school. Good luck!

Hi,thanks for reply he usually does this in the house and when we shop hes often running up and down the aisles i dont think he can resist ignoring all the space at the supermarket bless him,in the house he has started to do this with his hat pulled over his eyes which he finds funny.

Yes it sounds very much like stimming.
My DS (4), paces back and forth between lounge and diner, or walks around coffe table (i move it to the side of wall so he doesn't do it so much now).
But his fave stims are vocal ones, we have a LOT of throat noises and grunts, he does also "twirly fingers" where he moves his fingers quickly in front of his chest or twirl things around, it's hard to explain but it looks a bit "oddish"
My DS is also aware of what he is doing most of the time, although not always, sometimes he is occupied with tv or playing or simply is lost into thoughts the bank look on his face.

Mine has 'colours' too and has move on a bit from 'spinning'.

My ds sounds very similar, especially the spinning around in circles and jumping off of things, he also loves to fall on the floor intentionally.

I had no idea there was a name for it though!

I always thought it was sensory seeking, the Proprioceptive Sense, input from the muscles and joints about body position, weight, pressure, stretch, movement, and changes in position in space.

Vestibular Sense, input from the inner ear about equilibrium, gravitational changes, movement experiences, and position in space.

DS2 does a lot of "running around" stimming. He sometimes looks like a humming bird, running on his tip toes flappig his hands and humming

He also shakes his head with his eyes open when we are out and he doesn't like the situation.

Yes it is.
When ds was assessed for asd they commented that he didn't appear to stim ..asking if he handflapped at all.
I said he paces up and down when 'thinking' or when he is particularly not with us
He does seem to use it as a tool to move himself on to something else though..particularly if he's trying to work out something
He does it more when he is stessed by lifes demands too.
They agreed that it was a stim

My DS likes to jump down from tables, sofa etc, but he does not do it over and over. He definitely likes to do it, can't tell if it is stimming on his case either. At the moment he uses the stair railings to slide down rather than using the steps to come down. I used to love doing that when I was a child,so I don't really want to stop him doing that, except when he is being dangerous. Our SALT did say in his case it is stimming as he is not using the stairs anymore, but he does not do it over and over, he only does it when he is coming downstairs. It's so hard to know what is normal behaviour and what's asd related, because my NT nephews always did the same.

some adults asperger/hfa stim still, it seems to be just a correction in the amount of external stimuli there getting,too much they want away from it ial not enough they stim, least thats what ive noticed

Mine stims more when he's stressed by something, or very tired and his control is beginning to slip.

My ds has done all of the above. More recently hes been biting cushions. He noticed himself he was doing it one day and said "Oh I keep doing that don't I".

Goblinchild,i would say thats like my son because if theres a visitor/visitors my son starts running and jumping off coffee table,and he sometimes tells people to go home if they dont he seems to behave differently,yet if it was just me and him he is quite calm.

Sounds like stimming to me too. My DS handflaps and paces and bounces.

We were also told not to bother stopping it but I don't see how that is really an option if you have any hope of them blending into more 'normal' society. Quite apart from anything else it is difficult to live with. We have managed to get DS to stop doing it in the lounge pacing backwards and forwards in front of the telly when the rest of were watching. He goes into the hall now although not so often as he used to. He still has to do it in the playground at school and in supermarkets. He is 9.

I always understood that stimming was a response to sensory overload and they are stimulating their own senses in a way that helps them to block out the other sensory attacks that they have no control over. I can understand that in DS's case - supermarkets must be hard on the senses. And school playgrounds come to that. I would also suggest that the same could be happening when you have visitors to your home - too much going in a normally calm space.

It is normal for an ASD child though.

I know I keep repeating myself, so apologies.
Mine is almost 15 now, he has a lot of control over his stims and his temper, can anticipate when he's being pushed over the edge and can use a strategy to help himself avoid meltdowns.
But it has taken a long time, at 9 he really didn't.

logi do you have a trampoline or room for one - that way he'd still get the sensation but in a more socially acceptable way

Hi grumpyoldeeyore,we have a trampoline in the garden but he rarely goes on it...he likes to go on it with my granddaughter but he prefers to run in circles on it and ive got to stand on the side and watch him,he has lots to play with in the garden but in the summer his fear of flies seemed much worse so as soon as he saw one he was in.
Maybe i could get a little one indoors.