Theres one thing I will never do and that’s stop my child stimming or displaying Autistic behaviour in public, you wanna stare ? Cool we’re being who we are ,shame your being who you really are !with your eyes and judgy face , while standing there like your not really an ignorant arsehole , I know different, I see you , I can see your soul it’s not pretty ! My child makes you feel uncomfortable and you know what I don’t care .
This doesn’t happen very often in the corner of Kent we live in ,we are met with kindness and acceptance, but a few times now we have experienced hostility, because my sons behaviour makes people feel uncomfortable but he’s expressing himself or regulating himself so im not stopping him .
Self stimulating behaviours( stimming) and regulating behaviours present differently amongst Autistic children, and some display more than others , some of the behaviours include hand flapping , spinning, rocking repetitive behaviours, for Oscar it presents as spinnning , rocking, and occasional handflapping ,if Anxious, banging his head and biting himself , if he feels distressed he will emotionally become removed and absorb himself in a book, he has 4/5 go too books he has memorised and will intently read these, and rub the pictures or scratch them , these books are worn out! They are a safety net for him, as they are familiar he will also recite the alphabet and if interrupted will start again , again this is predictable fir him it doesn’t change the alphabet is what it is .
Another stim of oscars is he holds objects to the corner of his eye , and moves it quickly he also looks out the corner of his eye if we are moving this gives him sensory feedback .
I’m not concerned by this behaviour as he’s expressing his feelings and regulating , I would rather that than him internalise it , as he grows he will develop more coping strategies, but stimming and associated behaviours are all part of him and his diagnosis and there part of him and I love them , they remind me how special and unique he is
Im always mindful to allow time for Oscar to be Autistic it’s important it allows him to regulate himself .
Check out this amazing article
https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/autism-stimming-causes-management-and-types/
