Are these things "stimming"?

[vocalise]

Just reading another thread, and a question came to mind...

I'm getting ds evaluated for ASD soon, and was wondering if these behaviors would be considered stimming:
- running up to people and getting right in their face, sometimes humming at the same time, but usually grinning too like he thinks it's funny
- coming up behind me and tapping his hands quickly on my shoulders, with great tension in his arms
- sucking on things--he'll soak an entire shirt he's wearing while having his screen time each day
- generally humming when absorbed in things (this does have a musicality to it, although not recognizable tunes or anything)

Ds has a diagnosis of AD/HD and has SPD (sensory seeker), for sure. I'm just not sure if these behaviors would be seen as stimming. He doesn't hand flap or walk on his toes or anything. Any insight would be appreciated.

[Kailey's mom]

It's hard for me to say, it all depends on exactly how he's acting while doing this and facial expression, or lack of.. hard for me to explain . It all sounds like it could be stimming though. The sucking on the shirt sounds more sensory related. My dd does the tapping thing, I know it's stimming because she only does it after she's been running around, and it's a happy stim. She'll tap on me, than about 3 other objects while running in her circle *sounds odd, I know* She never just tapps on me when she's not stimming. omgosh.. I didn't know stimming was so hard for me to explain.. ugghhh... ok, at least I bumped it up for ya LOL.

[ollineeba]

The only thing that stands out to me is the sucking on shirts- this is something that autistic children do quite frequently... and googling it will bring up autism-related websites.
however-- neurotypical children do this as well. My oldest nephew does this and he is NT.

[InMediasRes]

Mine is SPD and does the tapping thing and the getting in your face thing. With the "tapping" on me, it seems more like a mechanism to keep from hitting me, which is usual way of showing he loves me. It's like he wants to hit, so instead he just holds all the energy in his arms and face (there is also teeth baring and grunting involved, usually) and just touches me lightly. For us, it's a good sign that he's got too much steam and needs to go run.

[PikkuMyy]

I'd say no to the first two and possibly to the second two.

The first sounds like something I've seen other kids do as an inappropriate way to get someone's attention. The second could also be a way of getting your attention or trying to interact with you, but I'm not sure what happens after he does it so I don't know what is reinforcing it.

Stimming often has a sensory component, so sucking on his shirt is definitely a self-stimulatory activity that meets an oral-motor need. The last one could be because it helps him concentrate or because he just likes to hum and it makes him feel good.

All of my students who qualify under ASD generally do quite a few more stimming behaviors/activities.