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Having a hard time knowing (stimming stuff)

autumngirlautumngirl
in Special Needs

I have a hard time knowing when the things my 29 month old is doing are okay/normal toddler self-soothing or stimming that should be addressed.

I wouldn't say she does these things to excess, but does them at least once a day and sometimes more.

- pulls at her fingers or opens and closes her hands (absentmindedly or when she is mad - holds her hands in her lap while doing this)

- rubs soft things against her cheek and says "dat soft"

 - carries around her favorite toy of the day. all day. always something in her hand

It seems that she drops a stimming activity only to pick up a new one. How do you keep on top of this?

 p.s. we are waiting for an OT to come out. With budget cuts to EI, there is a wait list.

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Re: Having a hard time knowing (stimming stuff)

  • autumngirlautumngirl
    Thanks for replying. It seems that this sort of stuff will get easier to differentiate typical versus atypical when my daughter gets older and if the stimming behavior stigmatizes her. One day at a time, I suppose.
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  • breezy0629breezy0629 member

    I am thinking along the same lines as auntie. I've heard stuff like doodling while on the phone is a sensory/self stimulating behavior geared towards keeping you more alert while you listen on the phone or in a class. It's just socially acceptable in a way that writing 3 ft numbers with your fingers in the air is not. Maybe the same purpose, but the look of it is way different.

    Try to distinguish on those types of terms. The snuggling sounds divine to me - neither of my kids ever did that and I think it is cute :) 

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  • breezy0629breezy0629 member

    I've hijacked a few posts recently... but I'm leaving this response as maybe this will be helpful with the OP's child at some point... even though it's not a direct answer.

    *Auntie* We've tried every redirection in the world. It's not about 'writing' per-say for him. And I don't know WHY, but nothing suits him as a replacement. What does work -- redirection to something unrelated if it's enticing enough (math worksheet) OR since he is now talking about his air-writing in terms of it being a game (I can ask him, 'what game are you playing' and he will tell me the name of it), I can tell him it is time to turn the game OFF. If he is home and really really wired up.... we tell him to turn it off in X # minutes. 

    I just finished ch.4 in "Parenting..." Am I taking away the right thing that this 'stimming' behavior (or whatever you want to call it) is one of the more root behaviors and we need to work through some smaller stuff and just leave it alone for now?

    Also, is that your son on pg. 82? Adam? "I'm flexible, I just done like change"

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  • breezy0629breezy0629 member
    I told my husband that analogy and he lost it (laughing) because he had never heard me use that word outloud, but I just rattled it off like it was nothing. Thanks for a laugh (and useful info too!).
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  • autumngirlautumngirl
    I appreciate the discourse. It helps me to better understand my own daughter and possible methods of intervention :)
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