by Jennifer Moll

Created on: August 17, 2009

Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that is more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined! Affecting 1 in 150 individuals, autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. Many people that have been diagnosed with autism need to follow strict routines and participate in repetitive behaviors such as obsessively lining up objects.

Individuals with autism usually appear physically typical and have good muscle control, however odd, stereotypical behaviors, also called self-stimulatory behaviors, may set them apart from their typical peers. These behaviors can range from subtle to extreme.

Children may spend hours on end just lining up their toys in a particular order instead of using these toys in pretend play. Children with autism will become quite upset if someone disrupts the order of the toys. Children with autism need and demand a sense of sameness in their environments and routines. In fact, even a slight change in any routine is extremely disturbing to them. This sense of order and sameness provides stability in a person's with autism confusing world.

These stereotypical behaviors, although can be annoying, are usually not harmful. These behaviors are simply a form of comfort when the child is either over or under stimulated. These behaviors are not meant to be a way of getting attention or being disruptive.

Stereotypical behaviors can become harmful when children participate in self-injurious activity such as head banging, biting, kicking, or hitting. It is believed that children with autism sometimes use injurious behaviors to get their point across when they can not communicate properly. These behaviors need be stopped to prevent injury to the child or another individual. These behaviors can be substituted with other activities that will not cause harm to anyone.

There is also evidence that shows children suffering from chronic health issues such as gastrointestinal problems, tend to use more self-injurious behaviors as a communication tool.

There are possible treatment plans to decrease or even eliminate these problem behaviors. Many parents have tried using medications to attempt to modify these behaviors in their children. Another, very successful treatment approach is Applied Behavioral Analysis. ABA principals are used to teach new skills, maintain appropriate behaviors, and reduce inappropriate behaviors that interfere with learning. Since no two children with autism are alike, each ABA treatment program is designed to meet each individual's needs. Sometimes a combination of both ABA treatment and medications are needed to eliminate behaviors that may cause injury.

While there is no set of rules on how to handle stereotypical behaviors, parents need to use a common sense approach when dealing with these problem behaviors.

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