One of the main indicators of a child on the spectrum is stimming. When Asher began to stim, I did not like it. I knew what it meant. I didn't know if I should stop him. Should I suppress it and maybe he would forget about it and not do it anymore?? The more I have discussed it with his therapists and the more I have read about it, I know that it's kind of a good thing for him.
Asher has gone through a few different types of stimming. He used to spin in a circle. I know a lot of kids do that, but it was relaxing for him. He wasn't doing it to get dizzy. He often rubs surfaces or puts objects in his mouth. This is a combination of stimming and his sensory issues. He started flapping his hands. I thought I would die. This is classic Autistic behavior. I didn't want him to do it in public. I feel terrible for thinking that now. Currently, his main source of stimming is hitting his legs. He gets up on his tiptoes and hits his thighs. He does it with a squeal and a smile on his face.
Sometimes when he stims, I bend down to him eye level, speak to him in a soft tone, and give him a squeeze. It helps calm him down. I'm not preventing him from expressing himself; I'm helping him express his excitement or anxiousness in a different way.
He is happy. Too happy. He is excited. Too excited. Why would that be a bad thing? So, I'm going with it. Whatever he feels like doing is ok. He knows better than I do what makes him comfortable. I look at it differently now.
He is my real life fidget spinner.💙
His mind and body need their rest.💙❤
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