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Obsessive throwing things downstairs or in water

CharliesGrandma
over 4 years ago

Hi,

My grandson is 11, he is non verbal, and he has started, over the last 3 months, throwing everything downstairs, clothes, toys, shoes, toiletries, anything he can get his hands on really. He also likes to post things down the back of the sideboard, put things in water (such as all my makeup) or throw things out of the window.  

We can't take our eyes off him for a moment. My son has another child now, she is just turned one, so it is difficult to keep an eye on my Grandson constantly unless there are two of you at home.

We have put locks on the rooms upstairs to restrict his access to things to throw, I have bought him some foam shapes to throw, as these do not cause any damage, however he is a resourceful child & can throw anything, 64 wet wipes individually from a pack for example.

My son & his wife have recently split up, and my son has moved back home with us, my grandson has been used to staying with me on his own at weekends so it is his space, now my granddaughter is coming to stay on a Friday night too, he is struggling with this.

School have advised he has started doing similar things there, and they have timetabled in a specific time for him, so he gets the stimulation he needs, however it is difficult to do that at home.

Whilst I have been typing this, he has managed to open the bedroom window, and his pyjama pants ae now stuck on the porch roof, and his jigsaw pieces are on the path.

Any advice would be welcome

Parents
  • over 4 years ago

    Speaking from my own experience, as a child I would also like to throw objects down stairs, as I found the sensation of seeing and hearing the objects movement pleasurable. It is a normal behaviour for a child, but by age 11 they should have already grown out of it.

    If I were to make a guess it may be caused by a desire to control and manipulate to induce visual stimulation. If he is non-verbal that means he could be using this behaviour to gain "feedback" to make up for his deficit - by that I mean perform an action which in this case is 1) planning for a desired outcome 2) which then rewards the brain with dopamine creating a feedback loop (repetative behaviour).

    My suggestion:

    • Introduce the child to the concept of a 'Slinky' toy and teach them that the desired goal and objective of the game is to make the toy flip. They must not "throw" the toy down the stairs, if they do they need to start again. This teaches the child patience and that throwing is not a desired behaviour.
    • Encorporate cleaning and tidying the home as a game activity. Desired outcome of putting things away in their rightful place is rewarded (sweets etc). If the child does not complete the task, or does it unsuccessfully the observer (should be a mother or someone with a close bond) will look the child in the eye and calmly and reassuringly aid them in putting the objects away.

    Think in terms of how you can utilise his behaviour in a more meaningful productive activity. What other activities iinvolve throwing? Or moving of objects from one location to another? It seems like he just needs to find some games to play that replaces this behaviour.

    Note: Also keep in mind that the behaviour of throwing is sometimes a 'stim' when an Autistic is overwhelmed or has a disgust preference towards an object (something about the object makes them anxious).

Reply
  • over 4 years ago

    Speaking from my own experience, as a child I would also like to throw objects down stairs, as I found the sensation of seeing and hearing the objects movement pleasurable. It is a normal behaviour for a child, but by age 11 they should have already grown out of it.

    If I were to make a guess it may be caused by a desire to control and manipulate to induce visual stimulation. If he is non-verbal that means he could be using this behaviour to gain "feedback" to make up for his deficit - by that I mean perform an action which in this case is 1) planning for a desired outcome 2) which then rewards the brain with dopamine creating a feedback loop (repetative behaviour).

    My suggestion:

    • Introduce the child to the concept of a 'Slinky' toy and teach them that the desired goal and objective of the game is to make the toy flip. They must not "throw" the toy down the stairs, if they do they need to start again. This teaches the child patience and that throwing is not a desired behaviour.
    • Encorporate cleaning and tidying the home as a game activity. Desired outcome of putting things away in their rightful place is rewarded (sweets etc). If the child does not complete the task, or does it unsuccessfully the observer (should be a mother or someone with a close bond) will look the child in the eye and calmly and reassuringly aid them in putting the objects away.

    Think in terms of how you can utilise his behaviour in a more meaningful productive activity. What other activities iinvolve throwing? Or moving of objects from one location to another? It seems like he just needs to find some games to play that replaces this behaviour.

    Note: Also keep in mind that the behaviour of throwing is sometimes a 'stim' when an Autistic is overwhelmed or has a disgust preference towards an object (something about the object makes them anxious).

Children
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