Masterbation: Self Stimulating Behaviors At School

SELF STIMULATING BEHAVIORS AT SCHOOL. 


Underwear Matters. Trust me on this. 
Over the past couple years, I have had numerous teachers shyly approach me for consultation, looking for strategies on for their students who are engaging in "self-stimulation" during class, at school, and even on field-trips. In one case, just finding the appropriate pair of underwear solved the problem. Basketball shorts and no underwear was not working out so well... but once discussed, it was a trail and error and a simple fix. 

Many times, the teachers biggest concern is how to discuss the problem with the parent. Sometimes the behavior is suspected but not as obvious...But it is always better to have a conversation with the parent as soon as possible. To ignore the issue can be extremely problematic and can create habits that later will be difficult to break. I think it is important to be mindful of parents cultures when bringing up the topic with them. Initially, it's easier when a teacher or counselor who has good rapport with the parents speaks to them individually. 

 A teacher or care coordinator should never inform a parent that their child has been masturbating at school during a formal IEP meeting. Be considerate of the sensitivity of the topic. The parent should be informed as soon as a teacher notices a problem--even if the teacher only suspects or can only observe the student with his hands down their shorts. When everyone is working together to solve a sometimes uncomfortable situation, then the outcome is always much better.  The IEP team can then meet and update their behavior support plan (BSP) to reduce inappropriate self stimulating behaviors. 


Sexual Curiosity

(Appropriate for students who have autism or a developmental delay)

Sexual curiosity and behaviors within young children are an important part of development whether the child has autism or not. The curiosity ranges from questioning, to looking at others, to “playing doctors” to imitating adult sexual behavior. In the early years, we give children information on being a boy or a girl. It is also helpful to give them correct names for their body parts including penis, vagina, and anus. These terms should be taught using relaxed and open language. Through all these phases, the child is learning more about his/her body, which is a positive approach to self-esteem and learning to have respect for their own body as well as others.

Children will fondle themselves during early childhood. Not responding to this behavior is fine in the early years. As more children with autism are integrated in the community, access to sex education becomes essential for them to understand the sexual standard established by society. Training, guidance and support are needed for parents who desire to be the primary sex educator for their child with autism. Sexual awareness is normal. Sexual feelings are normal, and there are many ways of expressing one's sexuality. If a person has a disability, it does not change any of this.

People with disabilities are sometimes harassed and treated as less than someone without a particular disability. This can have a deep impact on the individuals self-identity. Often, people with developmental disabilities feel they are bad or that something is wrong with them. In addition, they can feel that their normal sexual feelings are also bad or wrong. Humans' sexual drive is a natural process; it is not optional.

Masturbating

Masturbation is an issue that can present behavior problems at all ages. Masturbation is a form of self-stimulation common in autism. Stimulating activities that are pleasurable are common in autistics. Interacting with children on the autism spectrum who masturbate can provide additional concern as the behavior often occurs in inappropriate situations. For the parent it can cause concern in being able to explain and guide the child to understand that there is a time and place for private acts. In addition, this kind of behavior can create strong emotional reactions from adults due to the sexual and moral beliefs.

Children with autism don’t understand that masturbating in public is improper they may need constant reminders and repeated interruption. In managing this behavioral issue, it is important to take each child and his/her behaviors in perspective and respond according to your familiarity of the child and situation. It is important to be creative in your approach and open to learning from the child and yourself. It is normal for all children to explore their bodies. Masturbation is a normal part of life. Some children have learned to comfort themselves by touching their genitals and will use this at sleep times, during stressful periods, changes in routines, environment and additional changes occurring within the family such as a new baby in family, or moving to a new house.

Redirecting Masturbation

Remember that children who are very young are primarily pleasure-seeking beings, and almost all of their behavior is intended to meet that goal. And young children learn ways to soothe themselves. Stimulation of the genital area can be one of those ways. Because you don't want it to develop into a habit pattern, it is best to distract the child, but in a casual manner. There is really no need to 'set limits' around the behavior, but interrupting it by redirecting and distracting can be useful.

Rules and limits are a part of life. Children need these to help keep themselves, others, and the environment safe. Guidelines establish clearly for children what it is you want them to do. Example: Rule. “Don’t run inside” is translated to Guideline “we walk inside”. These same principles apply to children who masturbate at inappropriate times. The development of proper behavior occurs over a period of time with repeated reminder of rules and limits established. Depending on the skill level of each child the rules and limits are not necessarily changed but presented and re-enforced in ways that allow children to understand and take part in the process of enforcing the rules and limits. This process is an important part in the development of children's social skills, communication, and being a valued member of society.

In most cases, children with autism succeed on consistency of behaviors, rules, and routines. As long as the adult is consistent with the rule and what is said, the learning often is accomplished and the child will be able to comply with the requests given.

These aspects are normal for all children but may be emphasized for a child with autism due to the specific behavioral characteristic the child may display. If the child is masturbating in his/her room or in a private manner, it seldom is a problem. Each child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder will be different and individual.

The following strategies are just some examples, which may be useful to support the behavior guidance process. This list is only the beginning and it depends on a variety of factors such as environment, length of time child is in care, child’s interest, likes, dislikes, skills already achieved. The strategies are divided into developmental areas however, some strategies overlap and assist in a variety of developmental areas.

Helpful Strategies

·        If the child is verbal, does he/she ask specific question about body parts, reproduction, or intimacy. If so, aim to respond accurately and appropriately to child’s developmental age. Avoid using nicknames about body parts and keep answers brief and simple.

·       Observe the child when the masturbation occurs to assist in what may trigger the behavior e.g. end of day, at rest time, anxiety, separation from parent, being excluded by other children, noise level of environment.

o   * Use the functional data collection worksheet to track when self-stimulation may occur in order to proactively redirect or replace behavior

·        If the child is masturbating in front of others respond “You have found that feels good but it is also something that is special and private. I would like you to wait when you are at home” (if within comprehension for their developmental level and using professional common sense)

·        Provide the child with other ways to comfort themselves such as carrying a cuddle toy, manipulating clay or other sensory materials.

·       Aim to interrupt the behavior without showing emotional reaction.

·       Redirect the child to an activity that will distract them from masturbation.

·       Ensure that the child’s clothes are comfortable and not too tight, too loose, or curled in order to avoid the child’s attention to the genital area.

·       Ensure that all caretakers are consistent with the response and redirection to where everyone uses the same words each time.

Some individuals with autism may need specific instructions about social expectations. Some manners, ways of expressing, or sexual etiquette may not have meaning for them in the same way a person who isn’t diagnosed with autism might experience them. For these individuals, it is important to provide them with an abundance of information about social rituals and restrictions. Role playing and providing discreet reminders before they go into an environment where the inappropriate behavior is more likely to occur are helpful.

As the number of children diagnosed with autism continues to rise, so do the growing demands for services by families. However, little attention has been given to simplify parents' understanding of their children's emotional and behavioral characteristics of sexual development. While increased public awareness of the impact of autism has led to the advancement of many family-centered services to help parents, there is still a shortage of support services to teach parents how to address the growth and development of sexual behaviors of their children with autism. Regardless of what we do not know, it is clear that many people with autism do have a sex drive and express it through solo masturbation, exactly like the majority of adolescents. As service providers, teachers, and as parents it is critical that we give children a developmentally appropriate and loving understanding of human sexuality. It is also crucial to replace the reinforcement that they receive when they touch themselves (i.e. give them an alternative way to stimulate through sensory input—like letting them use a rubber band on their chair or a weighed lap bag when they are seated if they like deep pressure)

Resource taken from www.brighttots.com on August 20, 2012                                   

Kelly Taylor, School Psychologist