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Hey, i really thank you for this video. I’ve recently been on a little journey trying to study about autism, and im a little worried now that i myself might have autism because i can relate to a lot of symptoms. Im only a kid right now and im kind of scared to tell my parents, should I?
That is a difficult decision. But if you decide to tell your parents you could simply ask to get assessed. Most insurances will pay for the assessment so it shouldn’t be too much to ask for. Keep in mind it is very normal for parents to be in denial for a while. So if they don’t believe you at first, it may take a little bit. Try and be patient with them.
My son did a lot of the stem’s you talked about. Though when he was little, no one ever explained those behaviors to me. His stemming actually started at a very early age. He would twist and twist his belly button. I showed his dr, because it was bruised. Later we got him a service dog, that helped a lot. Great news now my son is 25 years old. He has a job, pays all his bills and is a wonderful adult. I couldn’t be more proud of him.
So glad to hear that chewing is recognized as a stim. I'm a middle school teacher, and I had a student that chewed on the strings of his hoodies to the point that his shirts were always wet. His classmates found him odd and some avoided him. He was not listed as being on the spectrum for autism. But it reminded me of my own autistic child who liked to chew on things. To help him in class, I ordered necklaces with chewable pendants from a company that makes items for that purpose. I also pushed to have his 504 upgraded to a full evaluation to see if he was autistic. When I asked, all of his teachers were reporting that his 504 interventions were not helping. After I got him the necklace, having something to chew seemed to help him concentrate. Even his SpEd teacher would call me and ask if I had another necklace for him if something happened to the one he had. And no more wet shirts. Other students felt better about approaching him when his shirts were dry. He was a capable student, but he needed a way to harness his need to chew.
I was never diagnosed as a kid, but looking back, all the signs were there. I used to chew all the strings on my sweatshirts, jackets etc. and I was constantly told to stop and was treated like I was doing something bad. I’d often hear my mom say “get your string out of your mouth” and having to take it out really upset me. I also used to chew the ends of my hair, especially when wet, like after the pool in the summer. I also loved to chew my wash cloths. I loved to suck the water out.
I really appreciate your description of stimming in the beginning. I think one of the best ways we can educate non autistic people about autism so that they can truly understand is by reminding people that often times these “autistic traits” are just exaggerations of otherwise just human traits. It really helps to paint us autistic people as not wierd and alien and stupid, but as simply fellow human beings that act a bit differently due to the way their brain works. Its just refreshing to see autism education in this way. Thank you!
Thank you so much! ❤️ I appreciate your response and I am so happy you liked the video. This was a concept I’ve been planning in my head for weeks before I felt brave enough to make into a video. I’m glad you like it. -Holly
I watch your video and cry at how wonderful some parents are in this world! So much attention and acceptance for their children! Perhaps for some people that is a given. And that's wonderful! But for many adults with autism, it is a dream to have parents like that. I believe your children will one day be able to tell you how grateful they are for all you have done for them, but for now, a huge thank you from an autistic adult who has been deprived of such acceptance and accommodation, and who feels incredible love from you for autistic people through your videos! It gives so much hope for the future and the belief that autism will one day become a totally acceptable and not judged human condition. And that many autistic people will grow up with an inalienable sense of right to be themselves! Thank you for your videos and your love in them! I wish you and your kids nothing but the best! ❤
I don't understand why any parent WOULDN'T love or accept their child with Autism. That's an ableist attitude. Imagine saying "I think parents who love and accept their child with skin THAT colour are wonderful..." It would be a hideous thing to say. 100% bigotry. I say this as a person with Autism. Does this child consent to being filmed and broadcasted online, to be talked about and discussed? This is all rhetorical. 😔
Thank you for your video. Very informative. My 3-1/2-year-old grandson has autism, non-speaking, and my husband also has autism. The whole family has been educating ourselves about autism since my grandson was born. His parents are very proactive in supporting him and his special brain. Your video also helps me understand my husband's unique qualities as an autistic person. He is very high functioning, plays six instruments, has perfect pitch, and can play a song perfectly after only hearing it once. He also is a skilled writer/journalist. One of the stims my husband does is walk in circles when he is overwhelmed, and he has many characteristics often usual with autism, including some auditory processing challenges, low eye contact, and sometimes has trouble getting his thoughts into words. I've learned more patience because of this. He is also the sweetest, most honest, and dependable person I've ever known. I find his uniqueness and the special way his brain works intriguing and, at times, adorable. And of course, my grandson is adorable.
Thank you so much for sharing. This family dynamic sounds amazing and I love hearing about how you and your Autistic husband help each other and get along. He sounds extremely talented too. I know having two sons on the spectrum has taught me a lot as well.
I'm so sorry, I am mom to a little boy with level 3 nonverbal nonspeaking autism, and I couldn't imagine not ever being anything but understanding and compassionate to him. My little boy loves belts, dog leashes and tubes from the hardware store. We get a lot of strange looks, but who am I to tell him those aren't perfectly good toys? Hopefully you have someone understanding now, or are able to voice to your family how you feel/felt.
Thank you so so much for this. I’m Nigerian, male, and turning 18 this year. Where I’m from, people don’t really care about the whole mental health and stuff. If it doesn’t manifest somewhere on your body, it basically doesn’t exist. My mum my told me how as a kid I would always line up my shoes and slippers perfectly and that she thought it was amazing. She and my sister would also laugh about how I would be playing with something and then, out of no where, get up and start banging my head against a wall- had that habit till my dad literally beat it out of me (like I said, we’re mostly ignorant on these things over here). I’d keep going but I can’t seem to choose what to say. And this is the internet sooo… In summary, thank you❤️
Thank you so much for sharing your story. And I am glad that you found the video helpful. I’m sorry about your difficult past. But it’s brave of you to share them. Sharing your story can help others, so thank you. I love how we can connect even from other places in the world.
Do you feel you're more "normal" passing because you grew up in an ethnic house? I just want to know your experience growing up because I too was raised in a ethnic house. Im Hispanic, 18, and my parents are Mexican. I feel like there's not many people here on the internet with ethnic background speaking up about this topic. Every video I've seen is about a white person and there's nothing wrong with that but I feel like our experiences may be very different because of our cultures. I was beat for every little inconvenience, when I'd cry every time I'd get my hair brushed and my mom would wack me and make the process harder, when I didn't want to eat because the foods were touching or I hated the texture, when I refused to wear collar shirts, when I would cover my ears when someone was talking to me because I needed to concentrate on them and couldn't with all the background noises and they thought I just didn't want to hear them, when I didn't want to go to church and especially sit in the front seats because it was so overwhelming, etc. There's a lot more but point is my parents had me terrified and I had to do everything they asked and was forced to keep my emotions inside, out of fear. But because my emotions were so big and they thought those were little problems but they were actual huge problems for me, I think that affected the way I feel emotions now. I cant process my emotions I don't know how to and I don't know what they are if it's joy or fear. I think it's alexithymia. They had me ordering their food and translating legal things for them, and they would force me to interact with so many people for them. It was all too much and overwhelming but I am very nuerotypical passing because of all this. What are your experiences?
Wow! My heart goes out to you. This would make your childhood so difficult. Thank you for sharing. This topic is important because, like you said, you’re not seeing this topic discussed elsewhere. ❤️
@@Pearl-ps3xlyou and the o/p have made such valid and good points about culture, family, and ASD awareness and acceptance. I’m older (in my 40s), white, and female. When I was growing up, “autistic” was Rain Man-unsafe stimming, “not (even close to) normal”, and anyone who would be different levels now would have been labelled as socially awkward, shy, mute, etc. I think in some instances it is either lack of information, lack of acceptance that it’s anything other than misbehaviour, and/or both. My family was pretty cool but I think we were/are collectively neurodiverse. As years have gone past, my nephew was diagnosed, and I caught on that my eldest likely has ASD too (thought it was only anxiety, as often happens with girls, but at 21 she is still a very selective eater by texture, has some definite sensory processing-the moon is too bright, only certain fabrics, etc-sleep challenges, some social selectiveness…clues that I missed). Even in the less neurodiverse we have highly artistic/creative, stimming that is not one that would fall in a “normal” range (both my mom and sister used to bang their head into the wall/floor-my sister stopped at age 3 when it was cement at the store and needed stitches). My mom was when I was much younger. I definitely have stims and, to me, potential Autism too. I need heavy downtime after I teach. I get overwhelmed easily by “too much coming at me” for sensory-malls, smells, etc. I, to this day, hair twirl, pick at my skin, and have very restless legs. As a kid I did everything I could to avoid recess & gym: interestingly, for some kids with ASD that I teach recess/gym is either gung-ho for them or, like me, Too Much and they avoid it (as an Education Assistant, though, I had strategies to help). As a somewhat neurodiverse adult, what I love is how I can relate to kids that do stim…others don’t “see/get” it but I really do, or try my best.
I’m so glad I found your channel. My son is 3 and was just diagnosed with level 1 social communication asd and level 2 repetitive behaviors. I’m not sure what it all means, but how calm you are speaking about your children with autism calms me down. Thank you.
My 2 year old isn’t diagnosed yet but, she has some of these signs and is nonverbal. BUT, she’s trying so hard to talk! I’m so thankful for getting her therapy for her delays early.
I’m so happy for u u was able to notice her traits earlier my son it was so hard to tell, his 4 now and his just been seen by a speechie and occupational therapist… it’s been a journey for both of us I remember how sometimes I’d even have a break down if it got to much but then I’d just take a deep breath and give myself a little mummy affirmation… I hope it’s going all so well for ur daughter ❤
Best video I’ve seen yet to help me as an uneducated mother with an autistic child understand my son way more! Thank you so much for the time and dedication you have taken to help other families! You are awesome!
You are becoming a MORE self-educated mom, and will be really great at what interests you 😊 You already write well, with good punctuation and spelling. You were polite, respectful, and thankful - the type of person I like as a friend. You love your son enough to research how to help him. As I tell my non-verbal son, who was born with Down’s Syndrome, it’s more important what’s in his heart than him doing what others do… and I’m thankful that he’s different.
One stim I haven’t seen mentioned yet in the comments is fabric stimuli. We have 4 kids, 2 of them loved their gigis (a made up word from my partner’s side of the family). They are basically crocheted mini blankets. One son particularly loves his (he’s 18 now and I still make a new one for him every birthday and Christmas - he has quite the collection, but his favourite is the first one I made him when he was a baby. They need to be ‘Lacey’ with holes big enough for him to put his fingers through. My partner likes to rub the seam of his jeans. When I was young I used to run the selvage of the sheets between my fingers sometimes cutting the webbing . Now I have a very soft piece of fabric that I rub between my toes while in bed at night, it helps me go to sleep. I love that you don’t deny your kids their stims and you understand them so well. Beautiful❤
As a child i had strong cotton sheets which i rubbed between my fingers and a blanket with satin edging. As i got older i was humiliated for this stim which became a less obvious rubbing of the hems of my skirts, shirt collars or jean seams, picking at my nails. I also rocked on my bed and banged my head against the wall. I'm now in my 60s, dx at 59 and finding all my joy stims again, including swaying, stomping my feet, clapping my hands. I care very little for the looks or comments and have been known to say, "why are only children allowed to express joy?" when i overheard a nasty comment from a passerby. ❤
Both my daughters do many of these behaviors but I am certain my older daughter has asd. My husband doesn't want to inquire with her pediatrician because he doesn't want her to have any kind of "limiting diagnosis". I'm really thankful for channels like yours that explain and normalize these behaviors!
I dont see ASD as a limiting diagnosis. My son is ASD and he is currently doing 3 days a week at Technical college and 1 day a week at university as well as learning to drive his own car. The Dx allows understanding and support, not limits. I myself was diagnosed last year at 55 and this has allowed me to remove a lot of self stigma from my mental health.
@@novamorgan8549 this is my belief too! My daughter is amazing and I know she will do well at whatever she decides - but she does need a little extra support. I am ready to help her however I can but I do worry about what will happen when I'm not around to "translate" her body language for others or support her big emotions - she is starting kindergarten next year and I am really anxious inside!
I think not getting a diagnosis may be more limiting than receiving a diagnosis. I am a 53 yo woman who has a son with asd and adhd and I see a lot of his autistic and adhd traits in myself. I do not have a diagnosis but I feel that I too may be on the spectrum and have adhd. My whole life I have always felt a little different and that there was something wrong with me. I also had difficulty in school. I feel that if I would have had the diagnosis that it would have helped me to learn ways to do things differently that would have helped me to do better in school and also in life in general. I think that the more you understand yourself the better you are. I truly believe in the saying knowledge is power.
I’m a 30 yr old woman, diagnosed with ADHD last year and it came as a shock to me. I’ve been taking stimulant medication and it completely changed my life for the better! I couldn’t believe how many behaviors I had that were actually stimming, or hyper focusing, or how deeply I was affected by my environment. I realize now that all people who are neurotypical share countless similarities, and it’s amazing how much I’ve enjoyed my friends with autism not really knowing quite why. I didn’t realize how much I actually fidget/stim, like constantly cracking my knuckles, neck, shifting my legs when seated, clenching my muscles, humming…all the while thinking everyone is always uncomfortable and can’t wait to get home and let loose. I would get home from “behaving” all day long and start making loud, obnoxious sounds, singing, ripping my clothes off (especially the bra, always the bra), and wondering why I was so tired, cranky, and out of it when nothing in particular happened to warrant it at all. Talking to people, smiling, making eye contact, moving my face to match another person, constantly saying the same hello, goodbye, how are you over and over when nobody really cares, why???? Wasting money on clothes I never wanted to wear because the material was itchy, hot, uncomfortable, always thinking about my skin feeling awful. Beautiful shoes I couldn’t wait to take off. Hating the feeling of my own hair touching my skin. How loud noises are, how loud people are, how crowded people are, how annoying people are and you can’t say anything or do anything about any of it. Even the lights, the lights made me tired. Turns out, it’s ok if I am more comfortable in dark, quiet, confined spaces. I don’t have to have my curtains open to let sunshine in if I don’t want to. It’s ok to wear things that are comfortable. I don’t have to conform to look professional. I don’t have to be professional. Hell, I don’t even want to be professional. I am so much happier and have so much energy now that I know what has been really bothering me. I switched careers to ABA to spread the word that it’s ok for children, ESPECIALLY children, to feel comfortable and respected for their preferences.
Cracking knuckles is so off putting, makes me cringe my body. Listening to others do that, of course I don't do that myself. But humming is nice, I like to do that a lot. Or rock back and forth. I don't understand why it'd so strange for others to do vocal exercises? It helps to improve the speaking voice and thus the communication. In fact I've seen many youtube videos with great many examples of daily vocal exercises. Plus it does help to relax the body. Didn't know that these kinds of things are autism and does it really matter what it's called?
I am glad that people have informative videos, such as this one, to watch now a days. Twenty some years ago it was so much harder to find information! This video is such a blessing for so many people!
I’m not diagnosed but my boys are :) my favorite stim is to pace, count every tile on the ceiling, floor, and window. I do a lot of “petting” soft fabrics. I have to touch everything, it helps me feel calm bc it gives my mind something to think about other than I how am feeling at the moment. My oldest boy used to touch my ear lobes all the time! My youngest boy needs to squeeze or he squeezed and have pressure on his body in order to feel safe and calm. He now does jujitsu. My oldest boy does repetitive motions with his hands when he’s thinking, he now makes music with them to help his emotions :) ❤
I will fight ANYONE for my 7yr old autistic sons humanright of stimming. Watching him stimm melts my heart, I could watch him for hours in total bliss stimming. He used to be non-verbal but he started speaking around 4 yrs old. His stimm is touching and sniffing his blanket, and hugging it and stroking himself with it. Couple of weeks ago he said to me, mommy I love my blanket more then you. So can you imagine the emotional damage it would cause him to take it from him. He loves this blanket more then his mother. It would be to him major trauma, like loosing a family member.
Thank you for watching and commenting ❤️. Yes! Watching these little guys stim is awesome. 😊 Is there any special characters or designs on the blanket? Simon likes his PJ masks blanket. 😊
Sorry to say but touching ad sniffing blanket?? Whats wrong with it. He is a child bad they want to do whatever they like. Why here people just put the sticker of autism and learning difficulties on kids. They are normal. Plz don't do this to them
Thank you for sharing. My oldest son Stim and I see it in my three year old toddler daughter. I never knew what it was called until I looked it a few minutes ago and search for videos. Now, I get it...appreciate the education about this.
I have so much respect for parents of autistic kids. My brother was highly autistic, and having been born in 1953, no one knew anything about it. Sometimes life was pure hell.
Yes! I have had students that just need to run and I cannot count the number of times I've had to tell other teachers or aides that "it's okay...let him or her run." (Of course it's a safe place or space to do so.) Self-regulation is hard sometimes for us all, and stimming is a common coping tool! Thank you for sharing this video! Your boys are adorable, btw!
Yup, just have the kid do it outside without interrupting the class. That is why PE is so important...just like a dog with zoomies, it gets them out. There is a correlation with lack of physical exercise and PE and not being a le to get that energy out....as a kid.
My son has had variations of several of the stims you explained. He did run as a young child but outgrew it into pacing. I’ve never been diagnosed with ASD but stim quite often, I play with my hair like your son does along with some others. I’ve learned so much watching my son grow, things about him as well as myself. Thank you for sharing your experiences with your sons! It helps so many who have no experience with ASD. 🥰
So I'm 24 with diagnosed ADHD and have been suspecting that I was underdiagnosed for autism, since I'm female and understand a lot of autism studying is done for young boys. I did (and still do) 7 of these stims, especially the chewing, making noises, playing with my hair and head banging. This is really eye-opening for me and it makes me not feel so alone. Maybe I can finally get a diagnosis as an adult and start getting the help I need in the world as an autistic adult. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing. You are right that there isn’t as much research for women, as there is for boys. I hope you can get the support that you need. ❤️
i can relate to this so much. I was diagnosed at 7 and put on ritalin. it tranqd me pretty hard, maybe the dose was too high? But when i get too stressed out i bang my head, Ive hand flapped before when i go too nervose talking to my boss once..i like to rock when im feeling happy, ive taken the online assessment a few times and scored just over the threshold for "probably should see someone about this" but i cant really afford it..
Wow this was amazing and informative. I cant believe my son w ADHD has done all of these (15 now) and I had no idea. This was helpful info. He still does repetitive mouth noises. Wish I was aware when he was a toddler etc.
My dad had some quite-odd habits that I strongly believe to be autism. He would walk around our circular-shaped house for many rounds; probably fifteen minutes at a time if memory serves. Very fast walking; he felt a strong need to pace around. He loved poetry, and would recite it very demonstrably, with emphatic sounding I now think was a form of stimming. Some habits I've had, especially as a kid, I also think to be stimming...being his daughter it stands to reason I would be on the spectrum. I used to complain to my dad, but seeing it as autism helps understand him better.
I also used to walk or run round in our house, when I was a kid. Often and for a long time. We moved and I can't walk round anymore. It's just not round in the house. But I still keep standing up randomly when I feel like it or walk in the living room at least. I can't explain why I do it. I guess it makes me calm.
Wow this is actually very informative. I’ve worked with autistic kids and teenagers throughout my life. My cousin is autistic and I babysat him and his siblings throughout my teenage years. He’s now 32 years old. I’m 39. He definitely did a lot of stimming growing up. Fans were always a favorite. Anything that could spin was his favorite thing ever. If one of his favorite devices broke, to him it was the end of the world. I’m sure I don’t need to explain to you his reaction. He’s doing so well now as an adult. I don’t know what his stims are today so much but I’m sure he has some. I loved working with autistic kids. I’ve been with verbal and nonverbal and each one of them was special. Each one had their different stims and likes and dislikes. My church used to have volunteers shadow kids with disabilities in Sunday school. Usually they had autism but others had different disabilities. I enjoyed being a part of that and helping kids who needed a friend to help them. I realize that yes I have my own stims too. I love to fiddle with whatever objects are near me. If nothing is around for me to grab a fiddle with, usually I will just use the bottom of my shirt or the zipper of my sweatshirt. If music is going, I will play the “air piano.” My fingers will follow along with the song. I play piano by ear and can tell the notes just by hearing them. My mom and grandma both played by ear and it was a thing they did as well. Sadly they’re both gone now.
I love songs and music that are soft and give me wisdom when I'm stressed out. I also like music that is very loud when I'm angry or just want to party because I'm bored. Thanks for telling me more about autism.
Thank you for enlightening me on stimming. I’m not on the autistic spectrum, however I do have a few stims, & more often than than not I don’t know I’m doing it. It’s usually if I’m very anxious about something. I will have to touch each finger tip with my thumb forward & back & count to 100, if I go wrong I have to start again. Shaking my lower leg is another & I also have to have a pillowcase at my face when I go to sleep, a bit like a child safety blanket, well that’s my version & I’m 51.
Thank you for sharing. We all have things we do. I also eat candy in a certain way. I can’t eat the same color together, I like eating different colors together. I did this without realizing it until my sister saw me organizing my skittles by color and pointed it out. Funny huh? -Holly
Thanks for video. When my husband send this video to me I got emotional. My son is diagnosed development delay and we are waiting for autism assessment test results. I see a lot of my son in this video. Instant subscriber!
Thank you! My autistic brother shows basically all those signs and i now know why! This video was very helpful. Hope your children grow and be healthy and safe ❤️.
You’re a great mother, my mother discouraged my stimming (mainly humming and walking rhythmically and head nodding) from what I remember) and I masked my outward stimming, and when I eventually had a meltdown she would get very frustrated and angry so I learnt to isolate and hide my stimming. I clench my teeth while I count rhythmically in my head or tap my toes while I count rhythmically in my head. I was undiagnosed until aged 40 and I’m working on being able to self regulate with more effective stimming instead of using isolation. Oh and my mother was recommended to have me assessed for autism when I was 5 but she didn’t because “I was too busy”. It wasn’t about money because the assessment was free (we are Australian).
I love your videos! I have autism, adhd and other diagnoses. I definitely relate to Ezra with the love of cords, I have a bunch of them, and I even have a favorite. I also love to collect children’s books as well as playing cards.
Thank you so much for watching, commenting, and sharing! And you know what, Ezra has autism, ADHD, and apraxia of speech. His favorite cord changes pretty often. Ezra does love cards too, he just likes tearing them to pieces. ❤️❤️❤️
When you get an autism diagnosis, the professional should give you all the paperwork of how your child performed in three main areas, communication, social interaction, and repetitive movements. Here’s a few more videos that may be helpful…
Does my child have Autism Quiz (Explained) ua-cam.com/video/lTEhhw_Yl9w/v-deo.html Demystifying Autism Evaluation: What to Expect ua-cam.com/video/Ki3c1nUJw6g/v-deo.html Unlocking the Mystery | How Early Can You Diagnose Autism? ua-cam.com/video/24qOsvhJl4s/v-deo.html Crucial Reasons to Diagnose Autism at an Early Age ua-cam.com/video/kzDrYlokPHQ/v-deo.html
Thank you for making this video. One of my favorite friends has a beautiful son that is on the spectrum and no one talks about those of us who do not know how to respond to children with autism. I’ve never really known anyone close to me to have it except once when I was a child. So when you experience something like this you’re not sure how to react. I appreciate the time you took to make this video and opening up about something so personal for the education of others. Thank you 🙏🏾
My 7 yr old grandson will take your hand and rub it across his face. I always thought it was a way to show love. I still think so. He is 7 and non verbal, though he is learning. I always stim. I'm not austic. I shake my foot, roll small pieces of paper like gum wrappers between my fingers, twirl my hair. Twirl my husband's and dog's hair. My hands have to be busy. I didn't know it was considered stimming. I bet gum chewing could be considered stimming as well. I learned something new today. Thank you for the informative video.
Absolutely Brilliant again!! My nephew collects and manipulates, throws, runs/jumps, chews (among other ones) but like you said these are so nuanced I feel they get overlooked and or mislabeled as just 'inappropriate play/behavior". And sure it may be these things but I dont think solely just these things...you can tell at times it really is just a moment of regulation. Especially when a child is receiving therapy/guidance and the behavior continues. I hope this video gives light to how we can show some grace when it comes to guiding our autistic kids in reaching their fullest potential. Thank you for sharing!❤ I personally love to tap my fingers or toes!
Our favorite is hand flapping, in our family we call it "Jazz-hands" because its a sign of exploding joy, happiness, & wonder in our kiddo. Earning "Jazz-hands" is a huge honor 😊❤
Thank you for opening your home and family to us and allowing us to learn from and about you. This has really educated me and you seem like a wonderful mother and father ❤
I'm autistic and I can spin for a long time and never get dizzy. You're boys are awesome mum had me on a Lether harness with a rope she used to hold. People would say to her she is not a dog. If I wasn't on my harness I would jump of high bridges no fear. I still have no fear I'm old 46 now.I used get up high on top of houses and on top off shopping centres. Trees. up as far as possible. Now after a lot off damage to my body. I'm now terrified off heights. I'm just like a really old person I've got sore lumps under my feet from all the running and jumping plus walking on my toes. Plus I used to free fall from Trees on my back. I never felt pain. Now I have serious pain. I got hit by a tram when I was a kid and broke my arm with no pain the police told me I have to go to hospital and I said no because I was just fine no pain. Have a great day. Good bye.
I only learned of “stimming” last week and then found your wonderful 12 Examples of Stimming video tonight. I’ve made repetitive movements as well as repeating mental phrases that get stuck looping in my head ever since I could remember. It’s more obvious to me now since I’ve retired. I’m noticing myself always rocking whenever I’m alone while watching TV. I’ve been drawn to rocking chairs since childhood, and now I understand why. Another stim I had was taking a bit of hair, bending it into a loop running it along my lip, releasing the hair, and repeating. I’d do this nonstop during class lectures or while taking tests. Funny to learn at the age of 70 that my seemingly extraneous, repetitive, & comforting behaviors now have a name.
Thank you for the information on stimming. I have a non verbal nephew with autism.. he is an adult now.. He used to love removing his shoes and socks so he can feel the ground underneath his feet. He would also like being given massages on his head and back. He would take my hand and direct it to the spot he wanted to have massaged. I Love him dearly. They have their own communication style.
Yes they do. Ezra also loves deep pressure on his head, arms, and legs. And he takes my hand and puts it back on his head after I’ve given him a massage on his head and he wants more.
You and your husband are doing a wonderful job with handling Ezra and Simon. I love how Simon likes playing with your hair and Ezra loves plastic food bag, he just needs your attention . Looks like Ezra knows what he’s doing, he loves you so much. He may have different ways of stimming, but at least he’s doing while stimming himself.😊😊😊
When my youngest Padawan was being diagnosed, I actually learned a lot about myself. I was a Ritalin Kid in the 80s, but now I think that I was misdiagnosed. The day I realized that one of his finger stims was exactly the same as one of the ones I did, something clicked. THANK YOU for educating people! ♥️
I am someone who was diagnosed with autism at a later age (17) and seeing this is making me feel quite emotional because it is so relatable to me. the playing with hair, the jumping up and down, head banging, rocking, spinning - all things i consistently did as a child, and still do today. I wish that my own parents had been as attentive as you are, and i mourn the carefree childhood i never had, which was instead filled with confusion as to what was different about me, and shame. Thank you for being an amazing parent and educating others!
Excellent video.... Stimming shouldn't be stopped unless it is something dangerous. I have to explain to parents all the time that this is how individuals with autism regulate themselves.
This was very helpful! My son is newly diagnosed and I really didn't understand why they do it, but now I realize that I do it too! I am a rocker! I've always rocked back and forth. My mother used to say, stop doing that, you look like an autistic child! I didn't even know what that was then. Thank you for your explanation! And for making me realize that it is OK! ❤
Wow! I can’t believe your mom used to say that to you! I am so happy your felt this video was helpful. It was honestly my favorite one. I thought about it for months before I got the courage to put it together.
Thank you for sharing I shall use your information when I work It’s good to hear from people who experience this in every day life and not from a text book😊 I wish you and your family well
I'm so glad I came across this video! I knew about my boys' rocking, flapping and chewing, but I didn't realize the throwing and running could be a stim. This is so helpful towards my kids next IEP meeting. Thanks!
My girl is 5. She is currently on the autism pathway. A soon as she gets excited or watching something she likes on Tv she will jump up and down bounching her arms constantly. Shes done this since she was little ❤
@@gabriellagrace4734 I’m sorry but until you know me personally and have an idea of what we go through. You have no right to tell me what my daughter might or might not have thankyou very much!
I love stimming by writing or scribbling. I'll often write random words that are being said in cursive. I've been making art since I was young and it's one of my hobbies, so doing familiar pen or pencil strokes puts me in a flow state and keeps me in a comfortable sensory space where I can focus without being overly uncomfortable.
I also write random words when I hear them in my head. Many I don't know what they mean so I look them up. I am very artistic myself and I love to do art and notice patterns in numbers and everywhere else.
seeing him with your hair is so cute emotional too, i dont have children but i am an assist at a daycare with bunch of on the spectrum kids and i am trying to learn how to help them out BETTER ❤
The way he plays with your hair is just adorable. I've always loved the feeling of soft, tickly hair. I often play with my own hair or cuddle or kiss my husband's or daughter's soft hair.
I'm a late diagnosed autistic and I feel like I'm discovering new stims within myself almost every week. I have a few favourites though. 1. I like to listen to clicking and tapping sounds right up close to my ears. I will click or tap anything from my fingers to fidget toys. 2. Covering my ears to hear different pitches in sound waves from music to a fan's white noise. 3. Verbally repeating favourite words or sounds because of liking the combination of the sounds together. I choose crisp sharp sounds like C's P's B's and T's. It's like they click when I say them. I will even click my fingers while emphasisng the sounds of letters in words. I also write poetry because I love the rythmn and repetition of poetry. I would try to mask the stims when I was a child because it was considered weird and autism wasn't even really recognised back then. Now it seems more acceptable so I stim more freely as an adult.
Thank you for sharing. These are fun ideas. I am so glad that autism stims are becoming more of normal thing. We have a ways to go still, but, as you said, it’s improved. ❤️
I'm 32, but was diagnosed with autism 3 years ago. I remember as a child, I used to rock side to side when I had to go to the bathroom but then started doing it even when I didn't have to go because I enjoyed the movement. My mom associated it with me having to use the bathroom and would always make me go if she saw me rocking, so I had to learn to stop rocking around her. I still rock to this day (among many other stims), but it's much more subtle unless I'm home or around my ND friends.
Did it just get easier not to stim in public as you grew or to focus on what you needed to do and then stim later? Or did someone have to teach you how to do that?
@@stephaniemcguirk1154 I don’t think it got any harder, I’m just more aware of it now and adjust according to my environment or feedback. Like I’ve noticed I tend to have more obvious and frequent stims at work because of the high stress environment and less need to mask (I work with a bunch of ND people who aren’t bothered by it). If I’m alone in public or somewhere, it tends to be less noticeable.
This was very enlightening for me. My daughter squishes my arm all the time- I thought it was clinginess and separation anxiety! She also, runs, spins, jumps and rolls her hands. She also loves tight hugs from her safe people.
@@7Aheadfamily she's 5 going on 6. We've been through a lot the last year and a half too escaping our abuser. From day one she always was attached at my hip out of fear for her safety. I'm just starting to see what her baseline is now that we're safely in our own place, and she feels safe and supported and free to be herself.
@@mothership9234 Temple Grandin is an idol in my house- I take the same approach as her mother did; I use gentle parenting, my daughter has manners, she has rules and routine, and I tell her that she is just like everyone else just her brain works differently.
Wonderful! We are so happy you found our channel. What type of videos do you like the best? Do you like the educational ones better? Or do you like the Vlog style better?
We just started watching. Im sure both topics are valuable and helpful! By the Lords leading, we are moving to Costa Rica in a few weeks to farm and minister alomgside a costa rican family. I was hoping to vlog our experinces as an ND family. As you know, there can be many challenges but nothing our Heavenly Father can not carry us through! Prayers appreciated! 🥰🙏✝️💜🌻🦋
Autistic senior finding your video refreshing/educational showing stemming in a natural positive light, the need for movement can be directed to dance, martial arts, musical instruments, athletics list is endless, best to connect all movements to patterns like figure eights and other geometry, visual forms to move within ~~
Thank you for sharing. I have high functioning autism. Until I became physically disabled, one of my favorite stemming activities used to be spinning around. I could do it for hours without getting dizzy. When I was a little girl, I had a bunch of stuffed animals. They had to be organized in a certain order. The same with all of my dolls. They had to be in a certain order, no matter what. My primary stemming activities I still do today include covering my ears if I hear certain loud noises, or if I’m generally overwhelmed by loudness, meowing like a cat (I have a fixation for cats), rocking back and forth when I am nervous, or when I am by myself, recite scenes from certain movies. Again, thanks for sharing your two beautiful children! ❤️❤️
My niece is level 1 autistic and when she was younger we didn't realise she was but I noticed back then that when she was stressed she'd make repetitive noises or lock on to a particular word and just repeat. It was like humming a word. She would also rock back and forth. Now that she is older she doesn't do this as much (though she still repeats) but she still doesn't know how to regulate her emotions or express them. She is our angel. A beautiful gift.
Thank you for your video! My son is five and has ASD. I love your approach to explaining stimming. I love when people bring awareness, normalization, and understanding to this community. Sometimes it’s hard for me to remember to let my son chew on his shirt collar, even though I know he’s ‘ruining it’. He also does a lot of similar behaviors like making sounds and bouncing. My son is somewhat verbal, so it can be hard for some people to understand how he switches between the stim-sessions and normal speech, as they are quite drastically different. I’ve stimmed my whole life by chewing on my tongue, and have crazy oral-fixation issues. I’m a female by birth and it’s possible I am undiagnosed on the spectrum! Either way! I love our community and these incredible children!
Ezra would bite on his shirt a lot when he was younger, and he still does sometimes. One thing that helped save a lot of shirts is a chewable necklace. We got ones made of thick silicone and looked like a lego piece on a string. These were a great safe alternative. Thank you for sharing.
I chewed on shirts well into adulthood. What finally stopped it is that I stopped wearing T-shirts when I got into the workforce, and polos aren't very chewable.
I just found this video, thank you for sharing it! Our 6yo was just diagnosed a few weeks ago and I'm just getting the chance now to watch all the videos and look up everything recommended for learning (overwhelming amounts of info out there!) Our boy LOVES running around our staircase, it's in the middle of our house and he goes around for, geez, at least 15 minutes at a time! He makes car noises, sometimes he's a Formula 1 race car, sometimes he's a Bugatti, sometimes he's Lightning McQueen! Whatever suits him in that moment! He also jumps up and down a LOT! He flaps, sometimes with his arms pulled into the sleeves of his jammies (which he would wear everywhere if he could.) The last thing he really likes to do is squeeze or pinch my arms! I try to let him but there are times I have to tell him to go easy because wow is that little guy strong! But he's so sweet and thoughtful and happy! Ok, unless he's triggered, then the big feelings come out! Take care! If no one has told you today, you're doing great! Thank you again for posting this!
Hi! 25 year old woman with a severe (as the doctors say) adhd diagnosis that has been in a rabbit hole of figuring out if I am autistic for 2 years now and wow the hair one got me. My entire childhood and still to this day I rub my hair all over my face in the EXACT same places your son did. I apparently grabbed family member's hair too before I had my own to twirl lol. No matter how many times I have googled it I could only ever find anything about twirling nothing about the rub all over my face and mouth stimming I have always done. Basically my essay is a thank you because I have never seen anyone ever do what I do with my hair before that video of your son and its just comforting to see people do the same things as you sometimes :)
Me and my son have level 1 autism. I play with my hair to help me concentrate when listening to others speak. My son likes to tell me about his fantasies and he often loves to demonstrate action moves and noises. That really excites him. We both have issues with things that are out of place and we feel the most secure when we are at home. Social situations take a lot out of us.
@@7Aheadfamily I have an older son as well and he has add. He has his own struggles that are little different but we try being respectful since we are all on a spectrum here.
I don’t have autism, but one of my nieces has a son who is high functioning & I’ve seen many Stims from him. I know that one of my sisters & I would move one of our legs in a shaking movement & my Dr at the time saw me once & he said that I was doing that to calm myself. I always thought it was part of my anxiety just showing on the outside even though I was controlling it inwardly❤️
Thank you for posting this video. My 4 year old had a diagnosis of autism level 2. She does some of this stuff. We’re still learning about autism so this video helps. Gonna check out more of them
Thank you so much! So glad that they are helpful. Yeah this playlist is a pretty good start. Let us know if there’s something more you want to see as well and we can plan for it. ❤️
Ezra As an adult, she could even be a hammer thrower at the Special Summer Olympics. There are severely autistic children and severely autistic adults who cannot speak but have average intellectual abilities. As an autistic Hungarian woman, my autism is mild, and I can speak and write in any language with the help of Google Translate. I can speak Hungarian orally. While I can't really speak a foreign language verbally. I have learning difficulties, it is more difficult for me to adapt to new, unexpected things during a short preparation. However, my intelligence level is average.
Just to be on the save side... Ezra is a boy (the name can be given boys and girls mostly in Arabic societies). The biblical figure Ezra that is mostly refereed to, was a man and a Jewish high priest.
wow! Thank you for sharing! and thanks for sharing your abilities. Ezra is doing a great job with communicating through his device and we're excited to see what more he can do and say.
Omg, I’m pretty sure my nephew has autism and a lot of family members have been noticing that he’s different. Have been telling his parents to check him but they didn’t care enough and said he’s ok, only now they realized he’s not developing like other kids and started taking some action to help him 😢
I used to stim a lot when i was young... Banging my head, chewing on my t-shirt, need to Touch light where i often burnt myself, touching cloth edges, all kind of hand stims, biting my lips and cheecks, making noises. This video does me remind everything and im surprised how much i actually did stim and still do now though... I was diagnosed at 7 years old, level 2 as a kid. Im 28 now, own a house, Technical specialist in forklifts and expert in classic Volkswagens. It turnt out fine with me overall. Still need a little support with social comunication sometimes from my surroundings, i mask allot of my autism but people who get to know me often say that they really like my because im such a honnest good guy and they can tell im a bit off and i don't have to worry. Then i usually tell them im autistic and everyone feels comfortable. The clue is to understand youself, to Express yourself and not be scared to ask acceptance from your surroundings.
What a brilliant explanation. Had a friend visit this weekend with his autistic son. I didn't really know much about it, but was "concerned" for want of a better word. Now I'm not, I'm educated. Thanks for putting this information out there in such an easy to understand manner.
I had no idea what stimming was. Today I found out then googled it and it led me here. Anyways, I’m not autistic (diagnosed) but recently thought I’m probably on the spectrum. I definitely stim. Not in ways that upset or annoy others. I think I kept it to myself. But it’s enjoyable when I do it.
Still waiting on diagnosis but my 9 year old stims a lot and it's difficult to get others to understand it is definitely stimming! He runs around back and forth for sometimes an hour, he jumps and flaps when he's excited or just when he's thinking about something. He also does the hand under chin thing that Erza is doing, he's done that since he was 4 and sometimes he'll bang my hand on his chin or head it's one stim that has stuck!
You seem like such a good parent! ❤ I stim sometimes, and my social anxiety gets the best of me (I think everyone's looking at me and judging me and whatnot), so I like seeing people normalise stimming and I feel a little less embarrassed :)
I'm autistic and I do a lot of stimming by playing with my hair/beard, playing with a fidget toy and/or shaking my leg (I litterally do this one 24/7 and need a weighted blanket to stop me from doing it during my sleep). Also, when I feel negative emotions (like when I'm doing trauma treatments with my psychologist) I'll stretch my fingers, specifically my thumbs. Some of my specialists have learnt to "read" my stims and are now able to have a good idea of how I'm feeling, no matter what we're doing, even if I don't even know how I'm feeling. That has lead to them being able to ask me certain open questions that aim to help me realise how I'm feeling so that, eventually, I can tell by myself and react accordingly (aka, not be scared if I'm happy or using one of my tools to calm me down if I'm getting stressed or overwhelmed). If you have someone who's on the autism spectrum close to you and they struggle with knowing how they feel, you learning how to read their stims could help you to help them or to help their specialists/doctors/anyone that needs to interact with them communicate well with that person. For example, my social worker has learnt that certain stims mean that I'm trying to tell him something but I'm not sure how or I'm scared to do it. When he sees it, he'll point out my stim and ask me if there's anything I want to say. He doesn't pressure me into talking, he just gives me the opening that I need, and might not be able to find on my own, to talk. In the same way, he knows that if my leg is shaking at my regular speed, I'm okay but, if my leg is shaking faster then normal, I'm most likely struggling with some stress or anxiety and he might want to bring it up so that he can help me or so that he can redirect me to my tools (I tend to forget that my tools exist when I get anxious, stressed or overwhelmed). Sorry for the long post btw.
Thank you, Nathan ! This is gold, such good advice. 😊 It sounds like you have some great therapists who are able to recognize your emotions through your stems. The weighted blanket is the one thing we still haven’t tried, do you have a particular one that you like?
@@7Aheadfamily The one I have was the heaviest one I could find at walmart but, you have to be really carefull with that. I didn't know it at the time that I bought my weighted blanket but, having too heavy is really dangerous. There are some that are made for kids of a certain age so, I suggest finding one made for Simon and/or Ezra's age if you want to try it. I got lucky since the one I have doesn't seem to be too heavy for me but, when I started to want for a heavier one then mine, I realized that it would be pretty dangerous to do. So, I've stayed with the one I have (don't know the weight of it) and decided that, if I really feel the need for something heavier, I could instead try a sensory compression sheet. I still haven't tried it though but, I've heard others say that it helped them to sleep.
My favorite stims are shaking my foot, chewing my lip and the skin around my nails. It's hard for me to sit for too long. I have ADHD and I have had these stims my whole life. I can't not stim. The urge is just too strong and I really enjoy it. It makes me feel grounded and helps me to think better. As a child I used to rock back and forth. I could rock all day long
I don't have autism (that I know of). My stims are hair twirling, forming small balls out of paper or foil and rolling over and over, (usually in my pocket), and finger tapping, and as a kid, gum chewing. Also when I was younger, I did the running stim and crash landing into beds, sofas, and chairs, so I can really relate to that. It's fun.
That’s why I love working in special education! These kids amaze me so much everytime we do anything. From projects to games to trips, they each go about the world their own way. I’m still impressed how these kids can twirl for hours without getting dizzy!
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Hey, i really thank you for this video. I’ve recently been on a little journey trying to study about autism, and im a little worried now that i myself might have autism because i can relate to a lot of symptoms. Im only a kid right now and im kind of scared to tell my parents, should I?
Thank you I will check it out
❤️
That is a difficult decision. But if you decide to tell your parents you could simply ask to get assessed. Most insurances will pay for the assessment so it shouldn’t be too much to ask for. Keep in mind it is very normal for parents to be in denial for a while. So if they don’t believe you at first, it may take a little bit. Try and be patient with them.
I constantly rock in my rocking chair
My son did a lot of the stem’s you talked about. Though when he was little, no one ever explained those behaviors to me. His stemming actually started at a very early age. He would twist and twist his belly button. I showed his dr, because it was bruised. Later we got him a service dog, that helped a lot. Great news now my son is 25 years old. He has a job, pays all his bills and is a wonderful adult. I couldn’t be more proud of him.
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️💜❤️ You give us hope for the future! 😊
Can I know at what age you gave him a dog please? Thanks for the great insight ❤
That’s so wonderful to hear, what level autism was he diagnosed with?
I pray this for my child❤
@@thushanishashikalailesingh4268 He was about 11 years old.
So glad to hear that chewing is recognized as a stim. I'm a middle school teacher, and I had a student that chewed on the strings of his hoodies to the point that his shirts were always wet. His classmates found him odd and some avoided him. He was not listed as being on the spectrum for autism. But it reminded me of my own autistic child who liked to chew on things. To help him in class, I ordered necklaces with chewable pendants from a company that makes items for that purpose. I also pushed to have his 504 upgraded to a full evaluation to see if he was autistic. When I asked, all of his teachers were reporting that his 504 interventions were not helping. After I got him the necklace, having something to chew seemed to help him concentrate. Even his SpEd teacher would call me and ask if I had another necklace for him if something happened to the one he had. And no more wet shirts. Other students felt better about approaching him when his shirts were dry. He was a capable student, but he needed a way to harness his need to chew.
My son chewed right through them.. haven’t found anything he can’t chew up
I was never diagnosed as a kid, but looking back, all the signs were there. I used to chew all the strings on my sweatshirts, jackets etc. and I was constantly told to stop and was treated like I was doing something bad. I’d often hear my mom say “get your string out of your mouth” and having to take it out really upset me. I also used to chew the ends of my hair, especially when wet, like after the pool in the summer. I also loved to chew my wash cloths. I loved to suck the water out.
It is so wonderful that you try very hard to understand your child. It is incredible how you define his actions so well. ... in such a loving way.
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️💙❤️
I really appreciate your description of stimming in the beginning. I think one of the best ways we can educate non autistic people about autism so that they can truly understand is by reminding people that often times these “autistic traits” are just exaggerations of otherwise just human traits. It really helps to paint us autistic people as not wierd and alien and stupid, but as simply fellow human beings that act a bit differently due to the way their brain works. Its just refreshing to see autism education in this way. Thank you!
Thank you so much! ❤️ I appreciate your response and I am so happy you liked the video. This was a concept I’ve been planning in my head for weeks before I felt brave enough to make into a video. I’m glad you like it. -Holly
Agreed
Thank you ❤️
I think u kids are so cute
❤️❤️❤️
I watch your video and cry at how wonderful some parents are in this world! So much attention and acceptance for their children! Perhaps for some people that is a given. And that's wonderful! But for many adults with autism, it is a dream to have parents like that. I believe your children will one day be able to tell you how grateful they are for all you have done for them, but for now, a huge thank you from an autistic adult who has been deprived of such acceptance and accommodation, and who feels incredible love from you for autistic people through your videos! It gives so much hope for the future and the belief that autism will one day become a totally acceptable and not judged human condition. And that many autistic people will grow up with an inalienable sense of right to be themselves! Thank you for your videos and your love in them! I wish you and your kids nothing but the best! ❤
Your comment got me teary-eyed. Thank you so much for your sincerely kind words. ❤️ so happy you found our channel. We appreciate you.
I was deprived of it too, I'm autistic. So I give my 6 autistic children all the love I can and understanding and patience. I love them so much.
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️
I don't understand why any parent WOULDN'T love or accept their child with Autism. That's an ableist attitude.
Imagine saying "I think parents who love and accept their child with skin THAT colour are wonderful..."
It would be a hideous thing to say. 100% bigotry.
I say this as a person with Autism.
Does this child consent to being filmed and broadcasted online, to be talked about and discussed?
This is all rhetorical.
😔
Lots of love and blessings to you 🌹🤍 May all your wishes come true!! (Saying as a mother of ASD son) he is 2 years old and my whole world❤
Thank you for your video. Very informative. My 3-1/2-year-old grandson has autism, non-speaking, and my husband also has autism. The whole family has been educating ourselves about autism since my grandson was born. His parents are very proactive in supporting him and his special brain. Your video also helps me understand my husband's unique qualities as an autistic person. He is very high functioning, plays six instruments, has perfect pitch, and can play a song perfectly after only hearing it once. He also is a skilled writer/journalist. One of the stims my husband does is walk in circles when he is overwhelmed, and he has many characteristics often usual with autism, including some auditory processing challenges, low eye contact, and sometimes has trouble getting his thoughts into words. I've learned more patience because of this. He is also the sweetest, most honest, and dependable person I've ever known. I find his uniqueness and the special way his brain works intriguing and, at times, adorable. And of course, my grandson is adorable.
Thank you so much for sharing. This family dynamic sounds amazing and I love hearing about how you and your Autistic husband help each other and get along. He sounds extremely talented too. I know having two sons on the spectrum has taught me a lot as well.
Thank you for sharing. Of your husband and grandson is on the spectrum. Are you own children also on the spectrum too?
I’m 33 and crying at the thought of my family being as understanding as this mother
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️
Same
i'm sorry that/if you didn't receive the same understanding from your family. ❤🩹
I'm 30 my mum worked with autistic kids and I do ALL of these and I still never got the love and support I should have got from her...
I'm so sorry, I am mom to a little boy with level 3 nonverbal nonspeaking autism, and I couldn't imagine not ever being anything but understanding and compassionate to him. My little boy loves belts, dog leashes and tubes from the hardware store. We get a lot of strange looks, but who am I to tell him those aren't perfectly good toys? Hopefully you have someone understanding now, or are able to voice to your family how you feel/felt.
Thank you so so much for this.
I’m Nigerian, male, and turning 18 this year. Where I’m from, people don’t really care about the whole mental health and stuff. If it doesn’t manifest somewhere on your body, it basically doesn’t exist.
My mum my told me how as a kid I would always line up my shoes and slippers perfectly and that she thought it was amazing. She and my sister would also laugh about how I would be playing with something and then, out of no where, get up and start banging my head against a wall- had that habit till my dad literally beat it out of me (like I said, we’re mostly ignorant on these things over here).
I’d keep going but I can’t seem to choose what to say. And this is the internet sooo…
In summary, thank you❤️
Thank you so much for sharing your story. And I am glad that you found the video helpful. I’m sorry about your difficult past. But it’s brave of you to share them. Sharing your story can help others, so thank you. I love how we can connect even from other places in the world.
Do you feel you're more "normal" passing because you grew up in an ethnic house? I just want to know your experience growing up because I too was raised in a ethnic house. Im Hispanic, 18, and my parents are Mexican. I feel like there's not many people here on the internet with ethnic background speaking up about this topic. Every video I've seen is about a white person and there's nothing wrong with that but I feel like our experiences may be very different because of our cultures. I was beat for every little inconvenience, when I'd cry every time I'd get my hair brushed and my mom would wack me and make the process harder, when I didn't want to eat because the foods were touching or I hated the texture, when I refused to wear collar shirts, when I would cover my ears when someone was talking to me because I needed to concentrate on them and couldn't with all the background noises and they thought I just didn't want to hear them, when I didn't want to go to church and especially sit in the front seats because it was so overwhelming, etc. There's a lot more but point is my parents had me terrified and I had to do everything they asked and was forced to keep my emotions inside, out of fear. But because my emotions were so big and they thought those were little problems but they were actual huge problems for me, I think that affected the way I feel emotions now. I cant process my emotions I don't know how to and I don't know what they are if it's joy or fear. I think it's alexithymia. They had me ordering their food and translating legal things for them, and they would force me to interact with so many people for them. It was all too much and overwhelming but I am very nuerotypical passing because of all this. What are your experiences?
Wow! My heart goes out to you. This would make your childhood so difficult. Thank you for sharing. This topic is important because, like you said, you’re not seeing this topic discussed elsewhere. ❤️
@@Pearl-ps3xlyou and the o/p have made such valid and good points about culture, family, and ASD awareness and acceptance.
I’m older (in my 40s), white, and female. When I was growing up, “autistic” was Rain Man-unsafe stimming, “not (even close to) normal”, and anyone who would be different levels now would have been labelled as socially awkward, shy, mute, etc. I think in some instances it is either lack of information, lack of acceptance that it’s anything other than misbehaviour, and/or both.
My family was pretty cool but I think we were/are collectively neurodiverse. As years have gone past, my nephew was diagnosed, and I caught on that my eldest likely has ASD too (thought it was only anxiety, as often happens with girls, but at 21 she is still a very selective eater by texture, has some definite sensory processing-the moon is too bright, only certain fabrics, etc-sleep challenges, some social selectiveness…clues that I missed). Even in the less neurodiverse we have highly artistic/creative, stimming that is not one that would fall in a “normal” range (both my mom and sister used to bang their head into the wall/floor-my sister stopped at age 3 when it was cement at the store and needed stitches). My mom was when I was much younger.
I definitely have stims and, to me, potential Autism too. I need heavy downtime after I teach. I get overwhelmed easily by “too much coming at me” for sensory-malls, smells, etc. I, to this day, hair twirl, pick at my skin, and have very restless legs. As a kid I did everything I could to avoid recess & gym: interestingly, for some kids with ASD that I teach recess/gym is either gung-ho for them or, like me, Too Much and they avoid it (as an Education Assistant, though, I had strategies to help).
As a somewhat neurodiverse adult, what I love is how I can relate to kids that do stim…others don’t “see/get” it but I really do, or try my best.
Thank you for sharing your story
I’m so glad I found your channel. My son is 3 and was just diagnosed with level 1 social communication asd and level 2 repetitive behaviors. I’m not sure what it all means, but how calm you are speaking about your children with autism calms me down. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing! We are glad you found us as well. 😊 Let us know if there’s anything we can do to help you out ❤️.
My 2 year old isn’t diagnosed yet but, she has some of these signs and is nonverbal. BUT, she’s trying so hard to talk! I’m so thankful for getting her therapy for her delays early.
That’s so awesome! Yes, early intervention can make a big difference. Thank you for sharing ❤️
Here are some more videos around that topic…Does My Child Have Autism?
ua-cam.com/play/PLLCliYhgnblYm-etf6OwMac8KV9Ml8Wmf.html
I’m so happy for u u was able to notice her traits earlier my son it was so hard to tell, his 4 now and his just been seen by a speechie and occupational therapist… it’s been a journey for both of us I remember how sometimes I’d even have a break down if it got to much but then I’d just take a deep breath and give myself a little mummy affirmation… I hope it’s going all so well for ur daughter ❤
Mine too, he’s 14 months and have some of this signs but hasn’t been diagnosed yet and nonverbal
Best video I’ve seen yet to help me as an uneducated mother with an autistic child understand my son way more! Thank you so much for the time and dedication you have taken to help other families! You are awesome!
That’s so kind of you ❤️. Thank you so much for watching and commenting. Many blessings for you and your little one ❤️.
You are becoming a MORE self-educated mom, and will be really great at what interests you 😊
You already write well, with good punctuation and spelling.
You were polite, respectful, and thankful - the type of person I like as a friend.
You love your son enough to research how to help him.
As I tell my non-verbal son, who was born with Down’s Syndrome, it’s more important what’s in his heart than him doing what others do… and I’m thankful that he’s different.
Thank you for sharing. ❤️❤️❤️
One stim I haven’t seen mentioned yet in the comments is fabric stimuli. We have 4 kids, 2 of them loved their gigis (a made up word from my partner’s side of the family). They are basically crocheted mini blankets. One son particularly loves his (he’s 18 now and I still make a new one for him every birthday and Christmas - he has quite the collection, but his favourite is the first one I made him when he was a baby. They need to be ‘Lacey’ with holes big enough for him to put his fingers through. My partner likes to rub the seam of his jeans. When I was young I used to run the selvage of the sheets between my fingers sometimes cutting the webbing . Now I have a very soft piece of fabric that I rub between my toes while in bed at night, it helps me go to sleep. I love that you don’t deny your kids their stims and you understand them so well. Beautiful❤
Thank you so much for sharing. That is so sweet you do that for him. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
As a child i had strong cotton sheets which i rubbed between my fingers and a blanket with satin edging. As i got older i was humiliated for this stim which became a less obvious rubbing of the hems of my skirts, shirt collars or jean seams, picking at my nails. I also rocked on my bed and banged my head against the wall. I'm now in my 60s, dx at 59 and finding all my joy stims again, including swaying, stomping my feet, clapping my hands. I care very little for the looks or comments and have been known to say, "why are only children allowed to express joy?" when i overheard a nasty comment from a passerby. ❤
@@deborahlee8135 Express your joy and be proud that you can 👍😁
@@7Aheadfamily thank you, sweet of you to say so 🤗
My grandson rubs the tags on blankets. We tried to give him a knot blanket and he chooses the real tagged blanket every time. He rubs the tag.
Both my daughters do many of these behaviors but I am certain my older daughter has asd. My husband doesn't want to inquire with her pediatrician because he doesn't want her to have any kind of "limiting diagnosis". I'm really thankful for channels like yours that explain and normalize these behaviors!
Thank you! Many girls don’t get diagnosed till they are older. I wish the best for your daughter. ❤️❤️❤️
I dont see ASD as a limiting diagnosis. My son is ASD and he is currently doing 3 days a week at Technical college and 1 day a week at university as well as learning to drive his own car. The Dx allows understanding and support, not limits. I myself was diagnosed last year at 55 and this has allowed me to remove a lot of self stigma from my mental health.
Thank you so much for sharing. ♥️
@@novamorgan8549 this is my belief too! My daughter is amazing and I know she will do well at whatever she decides - but she does need a little extra support. I am ready to help her however I can but I do worry about what will happen when I'm not around to "translate" her body language for others or support her big emotions - she is starting kindergarten next year and I am really anxious inside!
I think not getting a diagnosis may be more limiting than receiving a diagnosis. I am a 53 yo woman who has a son with asd and adhd and I see a lot of his autistic and adhd traits in myself. I do not have a diagnosis but I feel that I too may be on the spectrum and have adhd. My whole life I have always felt a little different and that there was something wrong with me. I also had difficulty in school. I feel that if I would have had the diagnosis that it would have helped me to learn ways to do things differently that would have helped me to do better in school and also in life in general. I think that the more you understand yourself the better you are. I truly believe in the saying knowledge is power.
I’m a 30 yr old woman, diagnosed with ADHD last year and it came as a shock to me. I’ve been taking stimulant medication and it completely changed my life for the better! I couldn’t believe how many behaviors I had that were actually stimming, or hyper focusing, or how deeply I was affected by my environment. I realize now that all people who are neurotypical share countless similarities, and it’s amazing how much I’ve enjoyed my friends with autism not really knowing quite why.
I didn’t realize how much I actually fidget/stim, like constantly cracking my knuckles, neck, shifting my legs when seated, clenching my muscles, humming…all the while thinking everyone is always uncomfortable and can’t wait to get home and let loose. I would get home from “behaving” all day long and start making loud, obnoxious sounds, singing, ripping my clothes off (especially the bra, always the bra), and wondering why I was so tired, cranky, and out of it when nothing in particular happened to warrant it at all. Talking to people, smiling, making eye contact, moving my face to match another person, constantly saying the same hello, goodbye, how are you over and over when nobody really cares, why???? Wasting money on clothes I never wanted to wear because the material was itchy, hot, uncomfortable, always thinking about my skin feeling awful. Beautiful shoes I couldn’t wait to take off. Hating the feeling of my own hair touching my skin. How loud noises are, how loud people are, how crowded people are, how annoying people are and you can’t say anything or do anything about any of it. Even the lights, the lights made me tired. Turns out, it’s ok if I am more comfortable in dark, quiet, confined spaces. I don’t have to have my curtains open to let sunshine in if I don’t want to. It’s ok to wear things that are comfortable. I don’t have to conform to look professional. I don’t have to be professional. Hell, I don’t even want to be professional. I am so much happier and have so much energy now that I know what has been really bothering me. I switched careers to ABA to spread the word that it’s ok for children, ESPECIALLY children, to feel comfortable and respected for their preferences.
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️ I couldn’t agree more. ❤️
Honestly, every thing you described about yourself makes you sound like any normal human being 🤔
Cracking knuckles is so off putting, makes me cringe my body. Listening to others do that, of course I don't do that myself. But humming is nice, I like to do that a lot. Or rock back and forth. I don't understand why it'd so strange for others to do vocal exercises? It helps to improve the speaking voice and thus the communication. In fact I've seen many youtube videos with great many examples of daily vocal exercises. Plus it does help to relax the body. Didn't know that these kinds of things are autism and does it really matter what it's called?
They are growing so fast!! Thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of the world so they understand autism better.
Thank you for watching and commenting! We really appreciate it. 😊
I am glad that people have informative videos, such as this one, to watch now a days. Twenty some years ago it was so much harder to find information! This video is such a blessing for so many people!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you so much for watching and commenting. Let us know if there’s anything more you would like to see. 😊
I’m not diagnosed but my boys are :) my favorite stim is to pace, count every tile on the ceiling, floor, and window. I do a lot of “petting” soft fabrics. I have to touch everything, it helps me feel calm bc it gives my mind something to think about other than I how am feeling at the moment. My oldest boy used to touch my ear lobes all the time! My youngest boy needs to squeeze or he squeezed and have pressure on his body in order to feel safe and calm. He now does jujitsu. My oldest boy does repetitive motions with his hands when he’s thinking, he now makes music with them to help his emotions :) ❤
I also close my ears to feel safe and I also rock.
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️
I will fight ANYONE for my 7yr old autistic sons humanright of stimming. Watching him stimm melts my heart, I could watch him for hours in total bliss stimming. He used to be non-verbal but he started speaking around 4 yrs old. His stimm is touching and sniffing his blanket, and hugging it and stroking himself with it. Couple of weeks ago he said to me, mommy I love my blanket more then you. So can you imagine the emotional damage it would cause him to take it from him. He loves this blanket more then his mother. It would be to him major trauma, like loosing a family member.
Thank you for watching and commenting ❤️. Yes! Watching these little guys stim is awesome. 😊 Is there any special characters or designs on the blanket? Simon likes his PJ masks blanket. 😊
Why are you so angry?? Who's fighting you or your son's blanket??
I believe he’s just expressing that he feels strongly about letting his child stim.
Sorry to say but touching ad sniffing blanket?? Whats wrong with it. He is a child bad they want to do whatever they like. Why here people just put the sticker of autism and learning difficulties on kids. They are normal. Plz don't do this to them
How many of our videos have you watched? Maybe this one would be helpful in understanding.
This is such an amazing and enlightening video. Thank you so much! You have really sweet kids, and you're a GREAT mom!
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️
I love how he hugs or squishes your hand! You can tell how much he loves u!!
Thank you! He does show affection, in his own way
Thank you for sharing. My oldest son Stim and I see it in my three year old toddler daughter. I never knew what it was called until I looked it a few minutes ago and search for videos. Now, I get it...appreciate the education about this.
You are so welcome! ❤️
I love the intro 💖 thats the perfect way of explaining and normalizing autistic traits. you seem like such a good mom, this video gave me hope
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️
I have so much respect for parents of autistic kids. My brother was highly autistic, and having been born in 1953, no one knew anything about it. Sometimes life was pure hell.
Thank you for sharing! ❤️❤️❤️
You’re a wonderful and intuitive Mom! Your kids are very blessed!
You are so kind. Thank you!
You are incredible and such an admirable momma and woman. Thank you for posting and sharing!
Thank you!😊😊😊 You too!💕💕💕
Yes! I have had students that just need to run and I cannot count the number of times I've had to tell other teachers or aides that "it's okay...let him or her run." (Of course it's a safe place or space to do so.) Self-regulation is hard sometimes for us all, and stimming is a common coping tool! Thank you for sharing this video! Your boys are adorable, btw!
Thank you so much for sharing. Yes, we all need a little regulation right. 😊 Thank you for standing up for these kids, what ages do you work with?
Thank you so much. It’s great that you have patience in your classroom. It’s more difficult when you are trying to help many kids all at once.
Yup, just have the kid do it outside without interrupting the class. That is why PE is so important...just like a dog with zoomies, it gets them out.
There is a correlation with lack of physical exercise and PE and not being a le to get that energy out....as a kid.
God bless you and your family . What a strong lady . World need more women like you
Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Him playing with your hair, looking so calmed & relieved was so sweet
😊 thank you, yes, Simon loves my hair.
@@7Aheadfamilyi used to play with my own hair in this manner too (and suck it 😂)
❤️❤️❤️
@@deborahlee8135 🤭
@@Sharoina I'm not sure what your emoji signifies?
My son has had variations of several of the stims you explained. He did run as a young child but outgrew it into pacing. I’ve never been diagnosed with ASD but stim quite often, I play with my hair like your son does along with some others. I’ve learned so much watching my son grow, things about him as well as myself. Thank you for sharing your experiences with your sons! It helps so many who have no experience with ASD. 🥰
Thank you for sharing!
You are a wonderful mother with beautiful children.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
God bless you and your family
Thank you so much for sharing. ♥️♥️♥️
So I'm 24 with diagnosed ADHD and have been suspecting that I was underdiagnosed for autism, since I'm female and understand a lot of autism studying is done for young boys. I did (and still do) 7 of these stims, especially the chewing, making noises, playing with my hair and head banging. This is really eye-opening for me and it makes me not feel so alone. Maybe I can finally get a diagnosis as an adult and start getting the help I need in the world as an autistic adult. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing. You are right that there isn’t as much research for women, as there is for boys. I hope you can get the support that you need. ❤️
@@7Aheadfamily Thank you so much! :>
You’re welcome!!❤️😊❤️
i can relate to this so much. I was diagnosed at 7 and put on ritalin. it tranqd me pretty hard, maybe the dose was too high? But when i get too stressed out i bang my head, Ive hand flapped before when i go too nervose talking to my boss once..i like to rock when im feeling happy, ive taken the online assessment a few times and scored just over the threshold for "probably should see someone about this" but i cant really afford it..
Yeah, the money problem is huuuuuge. I hope you'll be able to see someone someday about it, if that's what you want :>@@SpaceCowboy42X
Wow this was amazing and informative. I cant believe my son w ADHD has done all of these (15 now) and I had no idea. This was helpful info. He still does repetitive mouth noises. Wish I was aware when he was a toddler etc.
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️
My dad had some quite-odd habits that I strongly believe to be autism. He would walk around our circular-shaped house for many rounds; probably fifteen minutes at a time if memory serves. Very fast walking; he felt a strong need to pace around. He loved poetry, and would recite it very demonstrably, with emphatic sounding I now think was a form of stimming. Some habits I've had, especially as a kid, I also think to be stimming...being his daughter it stands to reason I would be on the spectrum. I used to complain to my dad, but seeing it as autism helps understand him better.
That makes sense. Sounds a lot like Simon. 😊
I also used to walk or run round in our house, when I was a kid. Often and for a long time. We moved and I can't walk round anymore. It's just not round in the house. But I still keep standing up randomly when I feel like it or walk in the living room at least. I can't explain why I do it. I guess it makes me calm.
Could also be ocd
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️
@@ansnfbsknanssshshbsnsndnd5438 I personally doubt it, but thanks for sharing the opinion. Both could be in my close family circle.
What a great, positive presentation of some authentic stims! Thanks for sharing in such a kind way!
Thank you for sharing! ❤️❤️❤️
Wow this is actually very informative. I’ve worked with autistic kids and teenagers throughout my life. My cousin is autistic and I babysat him and his siblings throughout my teenage years. He’s now 32 years old. I’m 39. He definitely did a lot of stimming growing up. Fans were always a favorite. Anything that could spin was his favorite thing ever. If one of his favorite devices broke, to him it was the end of the world. I’m sure I don’t need to explain to you his reaction. He’s doing so well now as an adult. I don’t know what his stims are today so much but I’m sure he has some. I loved working with autistic kids. I’ve been with verbal and nonverbal and each one of them was special. Each one had their different stims and likes and dislikes. My church used to have volunteers shadow kids with disabilities in Sunday school. Usually they had autism but others had different disabilities. I enjoyed being a part of that and helping kids who needed a friend to help them.
I realize that yes I have my own stims too. I love to fiddle with whatever objects are near me. If nothing is around for me to grab a fiddle with, usually I will just use the bottom of my shirt or the zipper of my sweatshirt. If music is going, I will play the “air piano.” My fingers will follow along with the song. I play piano by ear and can tell the notes just by hearing them. My mom and grandma both played by ear and it was a thing they did as well. Sadly they’re both gone now.
Thank you for sharing! ❤️❤️❤️
My daughter has ADHD but is a chewer and a runner but just never thought of these as a stimm. Thank you for this video!
So glad you could join us here. Thanks for watching and commenting. ❤️
Hi, my name Paola, I’m a nanny for children with ADHD
Thanks for watching! So glad to have you here ❤️
Did you like my Stimming analogy at the beginning?
Did it make sense?
I love songs and music that are soft and give me wisdom when I'm stressed out. I also like music that is very loud when I'm angry or just want to party because I'm bored. Thanks for telling me more about autism.
That makes sense. I NEED music when I work out, or I just get myself to be motivated to do it.
Thank you for enlightening me on stimming. I’m not on the autistic spectrum, however I do have a few stims, & more often than than not I don’t know I’m doing it. It’s usually if I’m very anxious about something. I will have to touch each finger tip with my thumb forward & back & count to 100, if I go wrong I have to start again. Shaking my lower leg is another & I also have to have a pillowcase at my face when I go to sleep, a bit like a child safety blanket, well that’s my version & I’m 51.
Thank you for sharing. We all have things we do. I also eat candy in a certain way. I can’t eat the same color together, I like eating different colors together. I did this without realizing it until my sister saw me organizing my skittles by color and pointed it out. Funny huh? -Holly
Thanks for video. When my husband send this video to me I got emotional. My son is diagnosed development delay and we are waiting for autism assessment test results. I see a lot of my son in this video. Instant subscriber!
Thank you for sharing. ❤️😊❤️
Thank you! My autistic brother shows basically all those signs and i now know why! This video was very helpful. Hope your children grow and be healthy and safe ❤️.
So glad you found our video helpful!❤❤
Thanks for watching!💕💕
You’re a great mother, my mother discouraged my stimming (mainly humming and walking rhythmically and head nodding) from what I remember) and I masked my outward stimming, and when I eventually had a meltdown she would get very frustrated and angry so I learnt to isolate and hide my stimming. I clench my teeth while I count rhythmically in my head or tap my toes while I count rhythmically in my head. I was undiagnosed until aged 40 and I’m working on being able to self regulate with more effective stimming instead of using isolation.
Oh and my mother was recommended to have me assessed for autism when I was 5 but she didn’t because “I was too busy”. It wasn’t about money because the assessment was free (we are Australian).
Blessings to you
Thank you for sharing. ❤️😊❤️
I love your videos! I have autism, adhd and other diagnoses. I definitely relate to Ezra with the love of cords, I have a bunch of them, and I even have a favorite. I also love to collect children’s books as well as playing cards.
Thank you so much for watching, commenting, and sharing! And you know what, Ezra has autism, ADHD, and apraxia of speech. His favorite cord changes pretty often. Ezra does love cards too, he just likes tearing them to pieces. ❤️❤️❤️
How do you tell when your kid have mild autism???
When you get an autism diagnosis, the professional should give you all the paperwork of how your child performed in three main areas, communication, social interaction, and repetitive movements. Here’s a few more videos that may be helpful…
Does my child have Autism Quiz (Explained)
ua-cam.com/video/lTEhhw_Yl9w/v-deo.html
Demystifying Autism Evaluation: What to Expect
ua-cam.com/video/Ki3c1nUJw6g/v-deo.html
Unlocking the Mystery | How Early Can You Diagnose Autism?
ua-cam.com/video/24qOsvhJl4s/v-deo.html
Crucial Reasons to Diagnose Autism at an Early Age
ua-cam.com/video/kzDrYlokPHQ/v-deo.html
This is most helpful video I have seen on autistic kids
You are so kind!💜💜💜
Thank you for sharing these moments. You have such lovely kids .
Thank you for sharing. ❤
Thank you for making this video. One of my favorite friends has a beautiful son that is on the spectrum and no one talks about those of us who do not know how to respond to children with autism. I’ve never really known anyone close to me to have it except once when I was a child. So when you experience something like this you’re not sure how to react. I appreciate the time you took to make this video and opening up about something so personal for the education of others. Thank you 🙏🏾
So glad you enjoyed it!❤️❤️❤️
My 7 yr old grandson will take your hand and rub it across his face. I always thought it was a way to show love. I still think so. He is 7 and non verbal, though he is learning. I always stim. I'm not austic. I shake my foot, roll small pieces of paper like gum wrappers between my fingers, twirl my hair. Twirl my husband's and dog's hair. My hands have to be busy. I didn't know it was considered stimming. I bet gum chewing could be considered stimming as well. I learned something new today. Thank you for the informative video.
Of course. So happy you found it helpful
Absolutely Brilliant again!! My nephew collects and manipulates, throws, runs/jumps, chews (among other ones) but like you said these are so nuanced I feel they get overlooked and or mislabeled as just 'inappropriate play/behavior". And sure it may be these things but I dont think solely just these things...you can tell at times it really is just a moment of regulation. Especially when a child is receiving therapy/guidance and the behavior continues. I hope this video gives light to how we can show some grace when it comes to guiding our autistic kids in reaching their fullest potential. Thank you for sharing!❤ I personally love to tap my fingers or toes!
Thank you so much for sharing, I do the same. 😊 yes, I hope that more people are more patient with stimming after watching. 😊
Our favorite is hand flapping, in our family we call it "Jazz-hands" because its a sign of exploding joy, happiness, & wonder in our kiddo. Earning "Jazz-hands" is a huge honor 😊❤
Love it! ❤️
Thanks!
Thank you so much!
Thank you for opening your home and family to us and allowing us to learn from and about you. This has really educated me and you seem like a wonderful mother and father ❤
Thank you so much for sharing. 😊
5:14 7:24 omg I'm autistic and I thought I was the only one who does these, I've been doing them since i was a toddler and still do!!
Thank you for sharing!🩵🩵 You are not alone!🩷🩷
I'm just glad you are accepting of your kiddos and non-judgmental
Thank you! I think we need more of that in the world.
I'm autistic and I can spin for a long time and never get dizzy. You're boys are awesome mum had me on a Lether harness with a rope she used to hold. People would say to her she is not a dog. If I wasn't on my harness I would jump of high bridges no fear. I still have no fear I'm old 46 now.I used get up high on top of houses and on top off shopping centres. Trees. up as far as possible. Now after a lot off damage to my body. I'm now terrified off heights. I'm just like a really old person I've got sore lumps under my feet from all the running and jumping plus walking on my toes. Plus I used to free fall from Trees on my back. I never felt pain. Now I have serious pain. I got hit by a tram when I was a kid and broke my arm with no pain the police told me I have to go to hospital and I said no because I was just fine no pain. Have a great day. Good bye.
Wow! Thank you for sharing ❤️. It sounds like you have some amazing stories to tell. ❤️
What an excellent video. I enjoyed listening to you . What a lovely family, good luck from Scotland xx
Thank you! I’ve seen video of how beautiful Scotland is. I have direct relatives that live in Whales. Happy you found our channel. -Holly
I only learned of “stimming” last week and then found your wonderful 12 Examples of Stimming video tonight. I’ve made repetitive movements as well as repeating mental phrases that get stuck looping in my head ever since I could remember. It’s more obvious to me now since I’ve retired. I’m noticing myself always rocking whenever I’m alone while watching TV. I’ve been drawn to rocking chairs since childhood, and now I understand why. Another stim I had was taking a bit of hair, bending it into a loop running it along my lip, releasing the hair, and repeating. I’d do this nonstop during class lectures or while taking tests.
Funny to learn at the age of 70 that my seemingly extraneous, repetitive, & comforting behaviors now have a name.
That’s cool. Thank you so much for sharing! 😀😊❤️
Thank you for the information on stimming. I have a non verbal nephew with autism.. he is an adult now.. He used to love removing his shoes and socks so he can feel the ground underneath his feet. He would also like being given massages on his head and back. He would take my hand and direct it to the spot he wanted to have massaged. I Love him dearly. They have their own communication style.
Yes they do. Ezra also loves deep pressure on his head, arms, and legs. And he takes my hand and puts it back on his head after I’ve given him a massage on his head and he wants more.
You and your husband are doing a wonderful job with handling Ezra and Simon. I love how Simon likes playing with your hair and Ezra loves plastic food bag, he just needs your attention . Looks like Ezra knows what he’s doing, he loves you so much. He may have different ways of stimming, but at least he’s doing while stimming himself.😊😊😊
Thank you so much! Ezra does love his treasures. ❤️❤️❤️
When my youngest Padawan was being diagnosed, I actually learned a lot about myself. I was a Ritalin Kid in the 80s, but now I think that I was misdiagnosed. The day I realized that one of his finger stims was exactly the same as one of the ones I did, something clicked.
THANK YOU for educating people! ♥️
You’re so welcome! ❤️
This video is on a superstore well-being page store and has been helpful/informative to me and others! Thankyou!
Of course!💜💜 So glad it was helpful!❤️❤️
I am someone who was diagnosed with autism at a later age (17) and seeing this is making me feel quite emotional because it is so relatable to me. the playing with hair, the jumping up and down, head banging, rocking, spinning - all things i consistently did as a child, and still do today. I wish that my own parents had been as attentive as you are, and i mourn the carefree childhood i never had, which was instead filled with confusion as to what was different about me, and shame. Thank you for being an amazing parent and educating others!
Thank you for sharing! We are very sorry you went through such a hard time❤️
Excellent video.... Stimming shouldn't be stopped unless it is something dangerous. I have to explain to parents all the time that this is how individuals with autism regulate themselves.
Thank you. So true! We’ve had to remind and teach some therapists who work with our kids .❤️
Is it only autistic people that do this? Would it fall under the category of fidgeting? Is it a mental disorder?
Both autistic and non-autistic people stim. Fidgeting definitely could fall under stimming. ❤️
Erza is simply a boy from another world. Lots of love to him.
❤️🙏
This was very helpful! My son is newly diagnosed and I really didn't understand why they do it, but now I realize that I do it too! I am a rocker! I've always rocked back and forth. My mother used to say, stop doing that, you look like an autistic child! I didn't even know what that was then. Thank you for your explanation! And for making me realize that it is OK! ❤
Wow! I can’t believe your mom used to say that to you! I am so happy your felt this video was helpful. It was honestly my favorite one. I thought about it for months before I got the courage to put it together.
Thank you for sharing I shall use your information when I work
It’s good to hear from people who experience this in every day life and not from a text book😊
I wish you and your family well
Thank you for sharing! ❤️❤️
I'm so glad I came across this video! I knew about my boys' rocking, flapping and chewing, but I didn't realize the throwing and running could be a stim. This is so helpful towards my kids next IEP meeting. Thanks!
You are so welcome!❤️❤️❤️
My girl is 5. She is currently on the autism pathway. A soon as she gets excited or watching something she likes on Tv she will jump up and down bounching her arms constantly. Shes done this since she was little ❤
Thanks for sharing ❤️. When you say she is on the autism pathway, do you mean that she is going to get diagnosed?
Awww that’s so adorable ❤❤
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Just because she gets excited over something does not mean she has autism 😱 come on already
@@gabriellagrace4734 I’m sorry but until you know me personally and have an idea of what we go through. You have no right to tell me what my daughter might or might not have thankyou very much!
Brilliant 🤩 so well explained and illustrated
Thank you.
I love stimming by writing or scribbling. I'll often write random words that are being said in cursive. I've been making art since I was young and it's one of my hobbies, so doing familiar pen or pencil strokes puts me in a flow state and keeps me in a comfortable sensory space where I can focus without being overly uncomfortable.
That sounds like a great stimm!!! What are some of your favorite things to draw?
I also write random words when I hear them in my head. Many I don't know what they mean so I look them up. I am very artistic myself and I love to do art and notice patterns in numbers and everywhere else.
I love finding patterns. ♥️ thank you for sharing.
seeing him with your hair is so cute emotional too, i dont have children but i am an assist at a daycare with bunch of on the spectrum kids and i am trying to learn how to help them out BETTER ❤
Thank you for sharing. ❤️
The way he plays with your hair is just adorable. I've always loved the feeling of soft, tickly hair. I often play with my own hair or cuddle or kiss my husband's or daughter's soft hair.
Thank you for sharing! ❤️
I'm a late diagnosed autistic and I feel like I'm discovering new stims within myself almost every week. I have a few favourites though.
1. I like to listen to clicking and tapping sounds right up close to my ears. I will click or tap anything from my fingers to fidget toys.
2. Covering my ears to hear different pitches in sound waves from music to a fan's white noise.
3. Verbally repeating favourite words or sounds because of liking the combination of the sounds together. I choose crisp sharp sounds like C's P's B's and T's. It's like they click when I say them.
I will even click my fingers while emphasisng the sounds of letters in words.
I also write poetry because I love the rythmn and repetition of poetry.
I would try to mask the stims when I was a child because it was considered weird and autism wasn't even really recognised back then. Now it seems more acceptable so I stim more freely as an adult.
Thank you for sharing. These are fun ideas. I am so glad that autism stims are becoming more of normal thing. We have a ways to go still, but, as you said, it’s improved. ❤️
I'm 32, but was diagnosed with autism 3 years ago. I remember as a child, I used to rock side to side when I had to go to the bathroom but then started doing it even when I didn't have to go because I enjoyed the movement. My mom associated it with me having to use the bathroom and would always make me go if she saw me rocking, so I had to learn to stop rocking around her. I still rock to this day (among many other stims), but it's much more subtle unless I'm home or around my ND friends.
Thank you for sharing. 💜❤️💜
Did it just get easier not to stim in public as you grew or to focus on what you needed to do and then stim later? Or did someone have to teach you how to do that?
@@stephaniemcguirk1154 I don’t think it got any harder, I’m just more aware of it now and adjust according to my environment or feedback. Like I’ve noticed I tend to have more obvious and frequent stims at work because of the high stress environment and less need to mask (I work with a bunch of ND people who aren’t bothered by it). If I’m alone in public or somewhere, it tends to be less noticeable.
Thank you so much for sharing.
This was very enlightening for me. My daughter squishes my arm all the time- I thought it was clinginess and separation anxiety! She also, runs, spins, jumps and rolls her hands. She also loves tight hugs from her safe people.
Thank you so much for watching and commenting. ❤️ How old is your daughter?
@@7Aheadfamily she's 5 going on 6. We've been through a lot the last year and a half too escaping our abuser. From day one she always was attached at my hip out of fear for her safety. I'm just starting to see what her baseline is now that we're safely in our own place, and she feels safe and supported and free to be herself.
I’m so sorry to hear you guys had to go through that. ❤️ I’m really glad your daughter feels safe and feels she can express herself. ❤️❤️❤️
Lots of people like hugs and to be squeezed.! It was a major thing for Temple Grandin
@@mothership9234 Temple Grandin is an idol in my house- I take the same approach as her mother did; I use gentle parenting, my daughter has manners, she has rules and routine, and I tell her that she is just like everyone else just her brain works differently.
Thank you so much for sharing!!! We are an autism family and finding vids like these is so encouraging!
Wonderful! We are so happy you found our channel. What type of videos do you like the best? Do you like the educational ones better? Or do you like the Vlog style better?
We just started watching. Im sure both topics are valuable and helpful! By the Lords leading, we are moving to Costa Rica in a few weeks to farm and minister alomgside a costa rican family. I was hoping to vlog our experinces as an ND family. As you know, there can be many challenges but nothing our Heavenly Father can not carry us through! Prayers appreciated! 🥰🙏✝️💜🌻🦋
For sure! Prayers coming your way ❤️. We will subscribe to your channel ❤️
@@7Aheadfamily wow! Thank you! 🥺🥰And God bless your family. Excited to go on this venture together! 🙌💜🌻🦋
We are still new at this so we dont have our channel as well organized but theres more to come once we are there! 🙂
Autistic senior finding your video refreshing/educational showing stemming in a natural positive light, the need for movement can be directed to dance, martial arts, musical instruments, athletics list is endless, best to connect all movements to patterns like figure eights and other geometry, visual forms to move within ~~
That is deep. Thank you for sharing and we’re so happy you enjoyed our video. I put a lot of time in this one.
Thank you for sharing. I have high functioning autism. Until I became physically disabled, one of my favorite stemming activities used to be spinning around. I could do it for hours without getting dizzy. When I was a little girl, I had a bunch of stuffed animals. They had to be organized in a certain order. The same with all of my dolls. They had to be in a certain order, no matter what. My primary stemming activities I still do today include covering my ears if I hear certain loud noises, or if I’m generally overwhelmed by loudness, meowing like a cat (I have a fixation for cats), rocking back and forth when I am nervous, or when I am by myself, recite scenes from certain movies.
Again, thanks for sharing your two beautiful children! ❤️❤️
Thank you for sharing!
What do you mean by High functioning autism? Asking as a mother of 2 yr old boy ❤
My niece is level 1 autistic and when she was younger we didn't realise she was but I noticed back then that when she was stressed she'd make repetitive noises or lock on to a particular word and just repeat. It was like humming a word. She would also rock back and forth. Now that she is older she doesn't do this as much (though she still repeats) but she still doesn't know how to regulate her emotions or express them. She is our angel. A beautiful gift.
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for your video! My son is five and has ASD. I love your approach to explaining stimming.
I love when people bring awareness, normalization, and understanding to this community.
Sometimes it’s hard for me to remember to let my son chew on his shirt collar, even though I know he’s ‘ruining it’. He also does a lot of similar behaviors like making sounds and bouncing.
My son is somewhat verbal, so it can be hard for some people to understand how he switches between the stim-sessions and normal speech, as they are quite drastically different.
I’ve stimmed my whole life by chewing on my tongue, and have crazy oral-fixation issues. I’m a female by birth and it’s possible
I am undiagnosed on the spectrum!
Either way! I love our community and these incredible children!
Ezra would bite on his shirt a lot when he was younger, and he still does sometimes. One thing that helped save a lot of shirts is a chewable necklace. We got ones made of thick silicone and looked like a lego piece on a string. These were a great safe alternative. Thank you for sharing.
I chewed on shirts well into adulthood. What finally stopped it is that I stopped wearing T-shirts when I got into the workforce, and polos aren't very chewable.
That's a good idea. I didn't think about that
I just found this video, thank you for sharing it!
Our 6yo was just diagnosed a few weeks ago and I'm just getting the chance now to watch all the videos and look up everything recommended for learning (overwhelming amounts of info out there!)
Our boy LOVES running around our staircase, it's in the middle of our house and he goes around for, geez, at least 15 minutes at a time! He makes car noises, sometimes he's a Formula 1 race car, sometimes he's a Bugatti, sometimes he's Lightning McQueen! Whatever suits him in that moment!
He also jumps up and down a LOT! He flaps, sometimes with his arms pulled into the sleeves of his jammies (which he would wear everywhere if he could.) The last thing he really likes to do is squeeze or pinch my arms! I try to let him but there are times I have to tell him to go easy because wow is that little guy strong! But he's so sweet and thoughtful and happy! Ok, unless he's triggered, then the big feelings come out!
Take care! If no one has told you today, you're doing great! Thank you again for posting this!
Thank you so much for watching and Sherry ❤️ OK. Much love for you and your little guy as well ❤️.
Hi! 25 year old woman with a severe (as the doctors say) adhd diagnosis that has been in a rabbit hole of figuring out if I am autistic for 2 years now and wow the hair one got me. My entire childhood and still to this day I rub my hair all over my face in the EXACT same places your son did. I apparently grabbed family member's hair too before I had my own to twirl lol. No matter how many times I have googled it I could only ever find anything about twirling nothing about the rub all over my face and mouth stimming I have always done. Basically my essay is a thank you because I have never seen anyone ever do what I do with my hair before that video of your son and its just comforting to see people do the same things as you sometimes :)
I agree. We feel less alone. ❤️
Me and my son have level 1 autism. I play with my hair to help me concentrate when listening to others speak. My son likes to tell me about his fantasies and he often loves to demonstrate action moves and noises. That really excites him. We both have issues with things that are out of place and we feel the most secure when we are at home. Social situations take a lot out of us.
That makes sense. It’s great that you both can understand each other so well. Do you have other kids, or is he your only one?
@@7Aheadfamily I have an older son as well and he has add. He has his own struggles that are little different but we try being respectful since we are all on a spectrum here.
Well, thank you for sharing, and it’s so awesome to have you joining us here. Let us know if there’s anything we can do to serve or help out. ❤️
I don’t have autism, but one of my nieces has a son who is high functioning & I’ve seen many Stims from him. I know that one of my sisters & I would move one of our legs in a shaking movement & my Dr at the time saw me once & he said that I was doing that to calm myself. I always thought it was part of my anxiety just showing on the outside even though I was controlling it inwardly❤️
Thank you for sharing ❤️! So true. 😊
Thank you so so much for this video!
Glad it was helpful! ❤️
Thank you for this very raw material....I will be sharing this video
Much appreciated ❤️
Thank you for posting this video. My 4 year old had a diagnosis of autism level 2. She does some of this stuff. We’re still learning about autism so this video helps. Gonna check out more of them
Thank you so much! So glad that they are helpful. Yeah this playlist is a pretty good start. Let us know if there’s something more you want to see as well and we can plan for it. ❤️
Autism
ua-cam.com/play/PLLCliYhgnbla3UdORIsbpSA_NtRAg5nCB.html
Pacing while on the phone is one of the "normal" stimming behaviors that has really helped me explain to people what it is.
That makes sense. That's a good one that most people can relate to.
Ezra As an adult, she could even be a hammer thrower at the Special Summer Olympics. There are severely autistic children and severely autistic adults who cannot speak but have average intellectual abilities. As an autistic Hungarian woman, my autism is mild, and I can speak and write in any language with the help of Google Translate. I can speak Hungarian orally. While I can't really speak a foreign language verbally. I have learning difficulties, it is more difficult for me to adapt to new, unexpected things during a short preparation. However, my intelligence level is average.
Just to be on the save side... Ezra is a boy (the name can be given boys and girls mostly in Arabic societies). The biblical figure Ezra that is mostly refereed to, was a man and a Jewish high priest.
wow! Thank you for sharing! and thanks for sharing your abilities. Ezra is doing a great job with communicating through his device and we're excited to see what more he can do and say.
Yes, Ezra is a boy. Sometimes I forget that Ezra can be a girl's name too.
Omg, I’m pretty sure my nephew has autism and a lot of family members have been noticing that he’s different. Have been telling his parents to check him but they didn’t care enough and said he’s ok, only now they realized he’s not developing like other kids and started taking some action to help him 😢
Thank you for sharing. ❤️😊❤️
I used to stim a lot when i was young... Banging my head, chewing on my t-shirt, need to Touch light where i often burnt myself, touching cloth edges, all kind of hand stims, biting my lips and cheecks, making noises. This video does me remind everything and im surprised how much i actually did stim and still do now though... I was diagnosed at 7 years old, level 2 as a kid. Im 28 now, own a house, Technical specialist in forklifts and expert in classic Volkswagens. It turnt out fine with me overall. Still need a little support with social comunication sometimes from my surroundings, i mask allot of my autism but people who get to know me often say that they really like my because im such a honnest good guy and they can tell im a bit off and i don't have to worry. Then i usually tell them im autistic and everyone feels comfortable. The clue is to understand youself, to Express yourself and not be scared to ask acceptance from your surroundings.
Thank you so much for sharing with us!❤❤
What a brilliant explanation. Had a friend visit this weekend with his autistic son. I didn't really know much about it, but was "concerned" for want of a better word. Now I'm not, I'm educated. Thanks for putting this information out there in such an easy to understand manner.
Thank you for sharing, so glad that our videos were helpful to you!❤️❤️
Wow you are incredible parents. I like how engaged you are with the empty bags.
I had no idea what stimming was. Today I found out then googled it and it led me here. Anyways, I’m not autistic (diagnosed) but recently thought I’m probably on the spectrum. I definitely stim. Not in ways that upset or annoy others. I think I kept it to myself. But it’s enjoyable when I do it.
Thanks for Sharing and so glad you could join us here!❤️❤️❤️
Still waiting on diagnosis but my 9 year old stims a lot and it's difficult to get others to understand it is definitely stimming! He runs around back and forth for sometimes an hour, he jumps and flaps when he's excited or just when he's thinking about something. He also does the hand under chin thing that Erza is doing, he's done that since he was 4 and sometimes he'll bang my hand on his chin or head it's one stim that has stuck!
That sounds very familiar. Glad you can get the diagnosis. Good luck with everything. Glad you found us! ❤️
You seem like such a good parent! ❤ I stim sometimes, and my social anxiety gets the best of me (I think everyone's looking at me and judging me and whatnot), so I like seeing people normalise stimming and I feel a little less embarrassed :)
You are so awesome and amazing, I know it!😊😊 You are so kind too!💕💕💕
I am a support worker with LD and autism. This is really interesting, thank you 💗
Glad it could be helpful in some way.
I'm autistic and I do a lot of stimming by playing with my hair/beard, playing with a fidget toy and/or shaking my leg (I litterally do this one 24/7 and need a weighted blanket to stop me from doing it during my sleep). Also, when I feel negative emotions (like when I'm doing trauma treatments with my psychologist) I'll stretch my fingers, specifically my thumbs. Some of my specialists have learnt to "read" my stims and are now able to have a good idea of how I'm feeling, no matter what we're doing, even if I don't even know how I'm feeling. That has lead to them being able to ask me certain open questions that aim to help me realise how I'm feeling so that, eventually, I can tell by myself and react accordingly (aka, not be scared if I'm happy or using one of my tools to calm me down if I'm getting stressed or overwhelmed). If you have someone who's on the autism spectrum close to you and they struggle with knowing how they feel, you learning how to read their stims could help you to help them or to help their specialists/doctors/anyone that needs to interact with them communicate well with that person. For example, my social worker has learnt that certain stims mean that I'm trying to tell him something but I'm not sure how or I'm scared to do it. When he sees it, he'll point out my stim and ask me if there's anything I want to say. He doesn't pressure me into talking, he just gives me the opening that I need, and might not be able to find on my own, to talk. In the same way, he knows that if my leg is shaking at my regular speed, I'm okay but, if my leg is shaking faster then normal, I'm most likely struggling with some stress or anxiety and he might want to bring it up so that he can help me or so that he can redirect me to my tools (I tend to forget that my tools exist when I get anxious, stressed or overwhelmed).
Sorry for the long post btw.
Thank you, Nathan ! This is gold, such good advice. 😊 It sounds like you have some great therapists who are able to recognize your emotions through your stems. The weighted blanket is the one thing we still haven’t tried, do you have a particular one that you like?
@@7Aheadfamily The one I have was the heaviest one I could find at walmart but, you have to be really carefull with that. I didn't know it at the time that I bought my weighted blanket but, having too heavy is really dangerous. There are some that are made for kids of a certain age so, I suggest finding one made for Simon and/or Ezra's age if you want to try it. I got lucky since the one I have doesn't seem to be too heavy for me but, when I started to want for a heavier one then mine, I realized that it would be pretty dangerous to do. So, I've stayed with the one I have (don't know the weight of it) and decided that, if I really feel the need for something heavier, I could instead try a sensory compression sheet. I still haven't tried it though but, I've heard others say that it helped them to sleep.
Such great advice! Thank you Nathan!!!
My favorite stims are shaking my foot, chewing my lip and the skin around my nails. It's hard for me to sit for too long. I have ADHD and I have had these stims my whole life. I can't not stim. The urge is just too strong and I really enjoy it. It makes me feel grounded and helps me to think better. As a child I used to rock back and forth. I could rock all day long
I rock and forth too all the time. Thank you for sharing. -Holly
@@7Aheadfamily😊😊.
😊
I don't have autism (that I know of). My stims are hair twirling, forming small balls out of paper or foil and rolling over and over, (usually in my pocket), and finger tapping, and as a kid, gum chewing. Also when I was younger, I did the running stim and crash landing into beds, sofas, and chairs, so I can really relate to that. It's fun.
Thank you so much for sharing!
That’s why I love working in special education! These kids amaze me so much everytime we do anything. From projects to games to trips, they each go about the world their own way. I’m still impressed how these kids can twirl for hours without getting dizzy!
True! Thank you for sharing
That is an amazing story 😊
Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️