Vocal stimming, also known as auditory stimming, is self-stimulatory behaviour that involves the use of the mouth, lips and vocal cords. It can also involve the use of ears.
" Stimming ," also known as self-stimulating behaviors or stereotypy, are repetitive body movements or repetitive movements of objects. Many individuals on the autism spectrum engage in routine stimming .
Vocal stimming is a common behavior in individuals with ASD. It is a way for them to regulate their sensory input and cope with the overwhelming sensory environment around them. While vocal stimming is not harmful, it can be disruptive to others and lead to social isolation and stigma.
Most individuals with Asperger's are incapable of modulating the volume of their voices. They also tend to speak in a monotonous pitch. Others may tend to be incoherent or lack rhythm in their speech.
Replacement behavior for vocal stimming
For kids and teens who are seeking oral sensory stimulation, try offering sensory chews and crunchy/chewy foods. For kids and teens who are avoiding auditory input, try providing ear defenders or noise cancellation headphones (only if the child/teen is comfortable wearing them).
Examples of vocal stims include the following:
Making or mimicking sounds. Groaning or grunting. Squealing or shrieking. Shouting, yelling, or screaming.
Some stims are harmful. Head banging, hair pulling, and biting nails may have health consequences. If you have a stim that is self-harming, talk to your doctor about finding new ways to cope. Pay attention to what is going on around you when you engage in self-harming behaviors.
One of the most common is monotonous speech. This means that they may speak in a flat, monotone voice. They may also use the same pitch and inflection regardless of the situation. Another common speech pattern in toddlers with Asperger's is stilted speech.
Reacting to high pitched sounds. Most daily high-pitched sounds shouldn't cause discomfort. While many children are over-sensitive to low humming noises, other ASD children find high-pitched noises the most irritating.
Is vocal stimming a symptom of ADHD? Verbal stims that may be common with ADHD are often symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, as presented by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) : blurting. humming.
Some children with ASD speak in a high-pitched or sing-song voice or use robot-like speech. Other children may use stock phrases to start a conversation. For example, a child may say, “My name is Tom,” even when he talks with friends or family.
For individuals with ASD, overstimulation can feel like an overwhelming flood of sensory input. This can manifest in a variety of ways, including physical discomfort, anxiety, irritability, or even physical pain.
Ordinary stimming occurs with limitations and is less repetitive than autistic stimming. When desired ordinary stim can be controlled. For example a person can choose not to bite nails when attending an important meeting. Autistic people have very less or no control over stimming.
'Scripting' most commonly refers to the spoken side of events - it's called this because the autistic person is more or less working from a prepared 'script' to participate in the conversation. There usually isn't a literal piece of paper with what they're going to say written down - although sometimes there can be!
Asperger's and ADHD are two conditions that are often confused because they have some overlap in symptoms such as social difficulties and impulsiveness. Additionally, it's common for people to have both conditions.
If you still hear people use some of the older terms, you'll want to know what they mean: Asperger's syndrome. This is on the milder end of the autism spectrum. A person with Asperger's may be very intelligent and able to handle their daily life.
Asperger's in adults typically causes issues with communication, emotion regulation and interpretation, social interactions, and behavior. People who have Asperger's may also experience other conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or OCD.
Autism Corner: Personality Types in Asperger's: Fixated, Disruptive, Approach and Avoidant. Fixated Personality–The fixated personality type can be characterized by a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and the need to control one's environment (e.g., to have things in a particular order).
Some of the effects of unaddressed or untreated Asperger's syndrome may include: Social isolation. Difficulty making and keeping friends. Challenges in finding and maintaining steady employment.
Auditory stimming uses the person's sense of hearing and sound. It may include behaviors such as: vocal sounds, such as humming. tapping on objects or ears, covering and uncovering ears, and finger-snapping. repetitive speech.
Management of emotions: Both positive and negative emotions may trigger a burst of stimming. We've all seen physical reactions to joy or excitement, such as jumping or hand-flapping. Frustration or anger may intensify a stim to the point that it becomes destructive.
Stimming is often very enjoyable and a way to reduce stress and so it shouldn't be stopped or reduced. However, stimming can sometimes be self-injurious, for example, head-banging or scratching.