WHAT DOES YOUR CHILD’S STIMMING LOOK LIKE?

Stimming, or self-stimulatory behaviour, is common among neurodivergent individuals. From biting nails and eating hair to humming and hand flapping, stimming can involve a variety of behaviours. These behaviours provide sensory input for your child, help with self-regulation, or serve as a coping mechanism for overwhelming situations.

NOTE:

The difference stimming and fidgeting is that these behaviours tend to be:

• More intense
• Happen more frequently
• Disrupt or diminish the ability to function well in social settings, at school, or at work

Here is a list of types of stimming behaviours:

Common Types of Stimming Behaviours

1. Visual Stimming
   • Staring at lights or objects with repetitive patterns
   • Spinning objects or watching things spin – try a fidget spinner or spinner ring!
   • Flipping pages of a book quickly
   • Flicking fingers in front of the eyes

2. Auditory Stimming
   • Humming or making repetitive sounds
   • Listening to the same song or sound repeatedly
   • Echolalia (repeating words or phrases)
   • Tapping on surfaces to create sounds
   • Excessive lip-smacking or tongue-clicking
   • Repetitive throat-clearing

3. Tactile Stimming
   • Rubbing, picking or scratching the skin or head
   • Stroking objects with specific textures
   • Repeatedly touching or feeling objects
   • Hair twirling or pulling (Trichotillomania)

4. Vestibular Stimming
   • Rocking back and forth
   • Spinning or twirling
   • Jumping or bouncing
   • Swinging

5. Proprioceptive Stimming
   • Hand-flapping
   • Finger-flicking
   • Pacing or running in patterns
   • Clenching and unclenching fists
   • Seeking deep pressure by squeezing objects or parts of the body – try a weighted blanket or weighted clothing
   • Pressing hands or body against walls or surfaces

6. Taste and Smell Stimming
   • Sniffing objects or people
   • Sniffing food excessively before eating
   • Licking non-food items
   • Chewing on objects like clothing or pencils – try specially designed pencil toppers or jewellery
   • Tasting unusual objects

7. Oral Stimming
   • Nail biting

8. Temperature Stimming
   • Seeking out cold or hot objects to touch
   • Using ice or hot packs on the skin

Does your child display any of these stimming behaviours or perhaps something that’s not on our list? Let us know in the comments.

Remember:

Stimming doesn’t automatically indicate neurodivergence, nor does it always require intervention. However, if you have concerns about stimming behaviours, consider consulting an Occupational Therapist, Educational Psychologist or other mental health professional.

References

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).
• Kapp, S. K., Gillespie-Lynch, K., Sherman, L. E., & Hutman, T. (2013). Deficit, difference, or both? Autism and neurodiversity. Developmental Psychology, 49(1), 59-71.
• Leekam, S. R., Priour, M. R., & Uljarevic, M. (2011). Restricted and repetitive behaviours in autism spectrum disorders: A review of research in the last decade. Psychological Bulletin, 137(4), 562-593.
• Sinclair, J. (1993). Don’t mourn for us. Autism Network International. Retrieved from Autreat.
• Prisant, B. M., Wetherby, A. M., Rubin, E., Laurent, A. C., & Rydell, P. J. (2006). The SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.