....please explain.

For some reason, my little circle of friends, online and off, contains a high percentage of parents of autistic children.

Our friend Lisa accused me of "stimming" the other day when I was fixating on a bug that was crawling around. She says her autistic kid does it with their aquarium fish.

As opposed to research, I figured I'd ask here.

What is "stimming", why does that word sound so funny, and why do I "stim"?

Andy,

You'd be better talking to Ruggysgirl or Tey on this one, but from my experience, "stimming" comes the words "Sterotypy" and "Self-Stimulating." They are often associated with folks with learning disabilities as behaviours that are exhibited, usually involving the senses. Such as.....

Visual-staring at lights, repetitive blinking, moving fingers in front of the eyes, hand-flapping

Auditory-tapping ears, snapping fingers, making vocal sounds

Tactile-rubbing the skin with one's hands or with another object, scratching

Vestibular-rocking front to back, rocking side-to-side

Taste-placing body parts or objects in one's mouth, licking objects

Smell-smelling objects, sniffing people

They're behaviours that child psychologist look for when studying for possible learning disorders.

I think your Stimming comes from a fascination with trying to see the little bug make a poo poo.......

There's an even better link too....I got those points above from it....hold on.....

http://web1.greatbasin.net/~sprang/stimming.htm 

That's it.

Stimming is usually making repetitive sounds, motions, etc. It can also be what would appear to be an unreasonable fascination with something, often repetitive. In Autistics it is most commonly a flapping type motion of the hands, or often a rocking or similar movement. Autistics will also Stim on watching things like bugs, but many times its also something that can be repetitive. My older daughter Katie watches the same few seconds of Disney movies over and over again to the point of wear bad spots in the tapes. Gabriel likes to line up the toy street signs from his train set on the edge of the dinning room table etc (about eye level to him) and walk past them, watching how the alignment changes. Libby walks on her toes and on the knuckles of her toes. They all love to bounce on a jog tramp, and can do it for hours.

Some times this appears to be a need for some stimulus or "input" and sometimes it appears to be a response to too much input, to cover it up. Sometimes in a noisy, busy place this behavior is used to mask all the confusing input coming in.

That's how it appears to me. If you like, I could google it real quick, but I'm sure I'd just find the same page Adroomi did.

As far as why you do it, you got me!

Everyone stims. Some people smoke, some people chew gum, some people pace, some people bite their fingernails . . . the list is endless. And yes, some people masturbate. I figured some joker would ask, so I'd just put it out there.

For some it is relaxing. For some it is exhilarating. Some use it as a means to process information. Everyone with Autism has sensory processing issues. Actually, all human beings have sensory processing issues. We just have more of them, and they tend to be more intense.

I pace. And tap my foot. And bite the inside of my lip. And hyperventilate (who needs drugs?). My stims are pretty socially acceptable, unlike many who flap or make noises.

The point at which it becomes a difficulty is when the person involved in the self stimulatory behavior does it to the exclusion of everything else. It becomes a roadblock to learning and interacting with others. And, people who are on the outside looking in are usually bothered by it.

Heather

And Adroomi, I would strongly suggest that you reconsider ever using the word retarded when trying to insult someone again. I don't care about you, or Rugrunner, or anyone else on this board and the petty, childish little squabbles. What I do care about is how attitudes like that affect my kids, and Bloody's kids, and Tey's son. It is that kind of ignorant, baselesss blather that furthers the negative stereotypes about people who have legitimate learning difficulties. It sets back the work that those of us who love and care for these people do by decades. And yet you are the first person to howl about racism. You are the epitome of a hypocricy when you behave in that manner.

Heather

You're right Heather, and I send my apologies. I thought I was better than that. Sometimes, contrary to popular belief, I'm human too. I too get hurt when someone calls my mother a drunk whore......

Still no excuse I guess.....

my apologies in your offence.

You were doing pretty well with your apology until you quantified it with your pain. Like I said, I don't care about you. I don't care about Rugrunner or what he said to you. I am not involved in it. Notice that I do not object to any of the other ridiculous things you have called him. What I do care about is the spread of misinformation as it effects people who are not otherwise able to speak for themselves. So I say to you, suck it up. That which does not kill you makes you stronger, as my friends the Vikings used to say.

Heather

You make me smile........

Remember what I said before about "who" I like to hang out with in crowded places?

thanks for the teaching.....the point is taken.

Merci.

I think I stim on the Adroomi/Rugrunner conflicts.

Oh.....and now that I know that it short for stimulation, the word itself is not as funny.

I agree with that masturbation thing though. I'm gonna have to remember that next time I get caught.

Oh.....and now that I know that it short for stimulation, the word itself is not as funny.

I agree with that masturbation thing though. I'm gonna have to remember that next time I get caught.

"I think I stim on the Adroomi/Rugrunner conflicts"

Andy, as meatloaf would say- "you took the words right outta my mouth"

You crack me up!

jd

Excellent topic, Andy.

I agree with everything Heather says but demeaning labels don't bother me as much anymore.

I figure people are either being lazy in the usage or are simply ignorant of the pejorative overtones.

What's more important to me is how to cure these odd behaviours which as Heather correctly said, are prevalent in some form among most of us. Mine is the sound of the radio in my office. I find it soothing.

In order to minimize (successfully I might add) stims, my wife and I have modified the two boys' diets- less glutens (wheat, etc.) & casein (dairy, etc.).

Per my discussion with Ruggy, the topical chelation, vitamin supplements plus B6, and B12 shots seem to have helped immensely. Toxic metals are beginning to flow out of both boys as proven by their blood, fecal, and urine samples.

Their "stims" are down by about 50% so far.

Imo, there IS a correlation between the inoculations, certain foods, hygiene products (deodorants, etc.) and external environmental factors (mercury released by coal processing plants, etc.) and certain kids' genetic INABILITY to remove or process harmful materials out of their bodies- resulting in brain damage. Thus, you get "stims".

I will take it a step further and say that many of our ever- increasing, nervous system- related "problems" such as Parkinsons, Alzheimers, and senility (form of dementia) will eventually be tied in to these same poisons which our bodies are unable to discard or filter out effectively.

"And yes, some people masturbate. I figured some joker would ask, so I'd just put it out there."

So you're saying i'm an obsessive, compulsive stimmer?

;^)

One more thing, I feel that stims are the child's way of being more aware of their bodies.

My little blond, middle child, Nick(8yrs) does not speak yet. He tries to but can't, because he simply is not aware and capable of using his mouth and tongue appropriately. All that he can muster are usually guttural sounds interspersed with an occasional familiar- sounding word.

He compensates for this frustration with stims, some of which are very destructive on his teeth and our belongings.

Such is the sad predicament of these children. They are aware that they are trapped within their bodies and can do NOTHING about it (for now).

MACS, get a grip.

On second thought...