Reducing Vocal Stimming and Scripting in Children with Autism

You’re listening to the Turn Autism Around podcast, episode number 231. I’m your host, Dr. Mary Barbera. Today we’re doing something brand new! We recorded the top five questions about stimming and scripting as a live Facebook event at marybarbera.com/facebook. It worked out great—we got lots of live questions, plenty of viewers, and a good recording too. I’m sure we’ll do this again. We covered stimming and scripting, when they might be a concern, whether they’re signs of autism, and—most importantly—how to help kids learn more so stimming naturally decreases. Let’s jump into this episode, with Kelsey asking the top five questions we get about stimming and scripting. Question 1: What is Stimming and Scripting? Kelsey: What is stimming? And what is scripting? Mary: Stimming stands for self-stimulatory behavior. It can be physical, verbal, or both. And the truth is—we all stim. Stimming is essentially what keeps our neurons firing when we’re not engaged in work, conversation, or other structured activities. Think of it as leisure activity: Playing violin and repeating a note until it sounds right. Shooting basketballs alone until one goes in. Scrolling through Facebook while waiting in line. These are all forms of self-stimulation. For children with autism, stimming might look like rocking, hand-flapping, spinning objects, making noises, or repeating movie lines. When the repetition is verbal, we call it scripting or delayed echolalia. Stimming in itself is not “bad.” Everyone does it. But sometimes, it can become excessive, unsafe, or interfere with learning. Question 2: Why Do Kids With Autism Stim and Script? Kelsey: Why do kids with autism stim and script so much? Mary: Mostly because they haven’t developed typical play, language, and social skills. Babies babble, shake rattles, or flap their arms before they have speech or more advanced play. For children with autism, if those developmental skills don’t move forward, they often stay with these more primitive ways of entertaining themselves. Older kids and even adults may stim too—sometimes because it feels good, sometimes because it reduces stress. Everyone has coping behaviors: some people cry, some pace, some swear more when stressed. Kids with autism may stim for the same reasons. Kelsey: Exactly. Sometimes stimming increases when a child is stressed, tired, or in pain. It can even be a form of communication—if your child stims much more than usual, it may be a signal something is off. Question 3: If My Child is Stimming, Does That Mean They Have Autism? Mary: No—stimming alone does not mean autism. I’ve known typically developing children who rocked or rubbed their hands when stressed. Kelsey’s nephew Everett, who had a speech delay but no autism, did a fair amount of stimming when he was little. Now he’s caught up and doing great. So while repetitive behaviors are one of the criteria used in diagnosing autism, stimming by itself does not equal an autism diagnosis. It’s when stimming is combined with speech delays, lack of pointing, and social communication delays that professionals become more concerned. Question 4: When is Stimming a Problem, and When Should It Be Left Alone? Kelsey: Parents often ask: when do I need to worry about stimming? And when should I just let it be? Mary: Great question. The first step is always assessment. That’s why I created the free 10-minute digital assessment at marybarbera.com/assessment. It looks at language, imitation, problem behaviors, self-care, eating, sleeping, potty training, and yes—stimming. Stimming is a problem if: It causes injury (like head-banging that leaves open wounds). It disrupts learning or daily life (like loud vocal stimming that makes it impossible to attend preschool). It is constant or excessive, leaving little room for engagement with others. But safe, occasional stimming? That’s normal. For example, TV was Lucas’s “safe stim” when he was little. A Barney video kept him happy and safe while I got a shower. Better that than dumping soda cans or climbing unsafe furniture. Kelsey: Right. If it’s safe and gives you a break, that’s not a problem—it’s actually a skill at that age. But if a child is mouthing unsafe objects, chewing clothes constantly, or eating inedible items (pica), that can be dangerous. In those cases, medical evaluation is crucial. Question 5: How Do I Reduce Stimming and Increase Skills? Mary: The best way to reduce stimming is not to focus on “stopping it” directly. Instead, follow the Turn Autism Around four-step approach: Assess the whole child. Make a plan based on strengths and needs. Teach new skills in a child-friendly way, with high reinforcement and low demands. Evaluate with simple data to see if problem behaviors go down while skills go up. By increasing language, social skills, play, and daily living abilities, stimming usually decreases naturally. Kelsey: And don’t forget—you can often use stimming as a clue to what motivates your child. If they love spinning, incorporate a spinny chair into play. If they script a certain phrase, note when they use it—it may be their way of expressing pain or excitement. Then build functional language from there. Stimming is a normal human behavior. For kids with autism, it may be more frequent or intense. It only becomes a concern if it’s unsafe, disruptive, or excessive. The key is not to eliminate stimming, but to build up skills and engagement so it naturally decreases. For more help, download my free stimming guide at marybarbera.com/stimming, or check out all the resources and show notes for this episode at marybarbera.com/231. Thanks for tuning in—I’ll see you next week, same time, same place.