Wow. I know he stims when he is trying to keep himself awake and when he has to go to the bathroom. I am not sure if he is trying to avoid the task or distract himself because he finds it unpleasant (or it hurts). Regardless, it seems stimming helps James to cope. Wether he is happy or tired or constipated. When he is sad or hurt or afraid, James is verbal and seeks out interaction but these other feelings or emotions require that he stim. It is so bizarre. Lots of parents are horrified and try to make their child stop. I find that hilarious. Don't waste you breathe folks. I do understand redirection. James used to bang the heck out of his chin. Not good. Brushing and joint compression and a weighted vest have helped James but not eliminated the behavior. Obviously he needs it. I try to let James know he can stim in his room but that he can't do it all the time, that he has to interact with the world around him. And he does, in his own way! The most recent development is hugging. He now hugs his Occupational Therapist every morning. Okay, not exactly normal but it gets his point across, and rather sweetly too. Our James will never be normal and we don't want him to be!
