Stimming appears when the individual is stressed out, nervous, or overstimulated in an environment. Tics are commonly involuntary and harder to suppress. They involve an unexpected movement of body parts, such as flapping hands, repeating words, rocking, and blinking.
For folks with conditions such as autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), stimming may be harder to control, however. Stimming behavior can look very much like tics. Tics are also repetitive movements, but unlike stims, they are involuntary, anticipated, and not particularly pleasurable.
Although they may look similar, the causes behind the movement features of TS and ASD are different. In TS, physical tics are involuntary and usually accompanied by a physical sensation (premonitory urge) before the tic. In ASD, movements are called stereotypies.
Tics and stereotypies are often reported as repetitive behaviors in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) [1]. Tics are defined as sudden, rapid, recurrent, non-rhythmic movements, and vocalizations [2].
Those with a tic condition describe the lead-up or premonitory urge as akin to an itch, an uncomfortable feeling building up inside. Once the tic is performed a temporary relief is experienced. Quite a few people, especially children, can relate to this; as transient tics are actually not that rare.
Tic– a sudden, repetitive, non-rhythmic motor movement or vocalization. Countered to the 'itch feeling' of stimming, a tic is more like a 'sneeze' that just happens. Tics occur on a spectrum, the more severe being called Tourette syndrome.
Self-stimulatory behavior is not unique to individuals on the autism spectrum and can be seen in neurotypical individuals as well.
For a child with autism, stimming might involve motor tics like rocking back and forth, licking lips, flapping hands, or repetitive blinking. It may also verbal tics like grunting, or repeating words or phrases, a behavior known as scripting or echolalia.
The most common tics that are initially present include facial movements, throat clearing, and eye blinking. However, these tics are often contrasted with other movements related to autism, such as stimming or stereotypical behaviors.
Patients with Asperger's syndrome frequently exhibit repetitive movements (stereotypies), and can have motor and phonic tics in addition to other behavioral abnormalities.
About stimming and autism
Stimming might include: hand and finger mannerisms – for example, finger-flicking and hand-flapping. unusual body movements – for example, rocking back and forth while sitting or standing. posturing – for example, holding hands or fingers out at an angle or arching the back while sitting.
As it is commonly found among children diagnosed with autism, some professionals refer to the behavior as autistic stereopathy or stereotypy.
What is Tourette Syndrome? Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a condition of the nervous system. TS causes people to have “tics”. Tics are sudden twitches, movements, or sounds that people do repeatedly.
Stimming can take many different forms: visual: staring off into space, drawing, spinning things like pens or coins. verbal/auditory: repeating sounds, excessive giggling, constantly clearing throat. tactile: rubbing fingers, chewing/biting nails, chewing the inside of cheeks.
Overstimulation of the Sensory System
When the child isn't playing video games, the brain experiences sensory deprivation, which can lead to irritability. This can cause children to experience seizures, tics and migraines.
Causes of tics
They're thought to be due to changes in the parts of the brain that control movement. They can run in families, and there's likely to be a genetic cause in many cases. They also often happen alongside other conditions, such as: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Children with autism have a broader or wider mouth and philtrum - the groove below the nose, above the top lip.
Sensory tics refer to repeated, unwanted, uncomfortable sensations, often in the absence of a verifiable stimulus. Common examples are "something in the throat," or a hard-to-describe local discomfort in the shoulders. Sensory tics often precede motor or vocal tics but can occur independent of externally apparent tics.
Stimming is short for self-stimulating behaviors. While many people have a stim, the behavior has become associated with autism.
Stimming or self-stimulating behaviour includes arm or hand-flapping, finger-flicking, rocking, jumping, spinning or twirling, head-banging and complex body movements.
As we all have sensory systems we are all susceptible to processing difficulties. However recent research with young people who have Tourette Syndrome have suggested there is a link to the hypersensitivity of some sensations and this is linked to the tics.
Stimming is self-stimulatory behaviour which is also known as stereotypic behaviour in layman's term. Even adults engage in stimming behaviour by biting nails, twirling hair, pacing around the room or tapping pen on the table. Sometimes the stimming behaviour can be quite annoying to people around.
The short answer to “Should I stop my child from stimming?” is no. You don't want to stop it, as long as they're not harming themselves or another person. These behaviors are calming to the kids.