How to Help an Autistic Child with Inappropriate Touching
Edit: I understand that children have a natural need for exploring their genitals. However, this article is for those children who do not stop and do this in class in front of peers and who also have trouble keeping their hands out of their mouths. While I appreciate opinions of natural exploring, comments that make me seem like a bad mother will be deleted. Please read before you leave rude comments.
Ever since Korey was little he was always seeking out touch. Whether it was my breast when he was breastfeeding or holding my hand while he napped, he has always needed to comfort his need for touch. If you have a child with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and no Autism these tips will help as well.
Sensory Needs in Autistic Children
All autistic children have SPD, but not all children with SPD have Autism. It’s important to know the sensory needs of your child with Autism, once you can tell if they are a sensory seeker or sensory avoid-er it is easier to help them with giving them an outlet for the need. When your child turns their need for touch into inappropriate touching it is troublesome, especially when they start going to preschool. I’ve provided a few tips we have learned, and have been shown by teachers and therapists to help your autistic child with inappropriate touching.
Give them a small toy
Sometimes a fidget toy or small stuffed animal can help keep their hands busy. Whether it is a textured ball or a little soft animal they can place in their pocket, giving them verbal cues when you catch them with their hands in their pants you can tell they are about to. The sensory need to touch has probably been going on for a while with them now, and they will need multiple cues before they start to reach for the object themselves.
Doodling and Coloring
If they happen to be doing work in class and can doodle on a piece of paper or be offered a coloring page, that is a perfect way to keep their little hands busy. Not only are they getting a distraction but, they are also helping build up their fine motor skills. When they are home and reach that “I’m bored” stage, it’s the perfect time to take out paper and crayons to let their imagination go.
Puzzles and Building Blocks
If you’re looking to expand their memory, puzzles are a great way to keep their hands busy. Korey is very much a visual learner, so giving him time to sit down with puzzles or make a building out of blocks is an easy transition. Taking their mind off what they were doing with their hands can help them forget about the need to touch inappropriately.
However you choose to help your child, or a child in your class, deal with inappropriate touching you will need one thing on your side: patience. Children with special needs take time to process things in their own way and not every solution will work for every child. Through trial and error you will be able to find the solution to help them in easing their sensory need for touch.
Do you have any suggestions that you have tried that are not mentioned?
There’s definitely a difference between natural exploration and inappropriate touching. I think it’s great that you’re working on this at an early age when the behavior can really be corrected and redirected.
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I am happy to have come across this article! What a relief. This is a very hard topic to explain, understand, and prevent. My stepson is 6, non-verbal and constantly has his penis sticking out the top of his pants. His father said his pcp told him that playing with themselves is normal and not to make a big deal out of it. As a mother of a 10 year old boy myself and having worked for doctors in my profession, I had to explain to him multiple times that his previous pcp said that years ago, before anyone knew he was autistic.
Now it’s gotten to the point where it happens every hour of every day, his teachers have made comments, other children are uncomfortable around him, and the more I consistently stick with my ‘no penis display in public’ rule, the more my husband gets frustrated with me. I am at my wits end on what to do, this has been going on for over a year.
I have an adult son who touches him self and will touch others if left unsupervised. I can’t allow him to be alone with children, and I wa rn adults to not shake his hand as he will grab their hand when angry and try to place it on his genitals. I have said no many times, I have allowed him his privacy in his room, I have watched with dread when he has tried to touch the new person on the scene. Our contacts are few, those who are close to me are alerted of this behavior, so they can deter it, I ask strangers not to touch him, some cooperate, some who are misguided don’t listen, and shake hands any way, I must explain that I am trying to brake a habit of a sensory processing disorder. A child such as this needs the whole of society to redirect him with kindness, not to cut him off. Trying to get help from professionals is never easy, few are knowledgeable or well trained, most fear to take on this challenge. Parents are the most experienced, and the most knowledgeable and must help each other. I have a sign on my living room walk for visitors to see. Those in my neighborhood with whom he makes contact have been made aware. He is not the only on doing this. Others do it as well, or encourage it, I know they will use him. He fights me to get to them. He feels a friendship with these men. They are not telling him no. I must watch over him, and have warned them. I hope this helps.