Can this behavior be modified or expanded into more “socially acceptable” self-stimulatory behaviors?
The value of a self-stimulatory behavior is what the behavior tells you about how your child takes in information. If your child likes to burrow down inside the cushions of the couch, be held or hugged a lot, or enjoys massage, you can assume that he is motivated by information he receives proprioceptively. If your child likes to vocalize, listen to music, or bang things together next to his ear, you can assume he is motivated by information he receives auditorially. These behaviors can be used as a way to explore the individual’s preferred sensory channels for receiving information from the world. With this information we may find preferred sensory experiences around which we can develop more “mainstream” leisure activities for children that they will also come to view as “leisure”. For example, if a child enjoys the visual sensation of lights we can find age-appropriate toys that might be motivating to him. In addition to familiar toys such as Lite-Brite, consider lava lamps, continu
Related Questions
- What can I do if a child rejects my efforts to interact with him and seems more interested in engaging in self-stimulatory behaviors (e.g., patting self or objects)?
- Can the landscape data be modified for Basic Fire Behavior (BFB) and Short-Term Fire Behavior (STFB) analyses?
- Are there specific behaviors that indicate a risk of destructive and violent behavior?
